MEDIA RELEASE – 17 May 2017
Zespri growing sales in top market, Japan
Zespri grew sales by 30 percent in its longstanding number one market of Japan over the past two seasons and plans to
keep growing sales of premium Zespri Kiwifruit by 25 percent over the next five years, creating new opportunities to
grow value in-market.
Zespri Chief Executive Lain Jager is accompanying the trade mission to Japan led by New Zealand Prime Minister Bill
English and explains Zespri sold a record 24 million trays of kiwifruit in Japan last season.
“Japan sales earned around $500 million last season and accounted for 16 percent of our global sales. This is all the
more remarkable as overall fruit sales in Japan declined by almost 10 percent over the past decade, against the backdrop
of an economy with an ageing population and changing consumer behavior, with a growing preference for more convenient
processed products.
“This strong performance is testament to the longstanding relationships we have with our customers – distributors,
wholesalers and retailers – who work very closely with us in-market to deliver consistently great-tasting kiwifruit to
Japanese consumers,” says Mr Jager.
Last year saw Zespri’s Japan marketing become more product-centric, making Zespri Kiwifruit more relatable and engaging,
and this will continue this season. This new approach won the team in Japan a top design award last year, the Good
Design Award, for the new campaign featuring two cartoon kiwifruit brothers talking about how and why kiwifruit is good
for you.
“Our team in-market is working hard to introduce more consumers in Japan to the great taste of Zespri Kiwifruit through
sampling programmes and promotions. Once that connection is made, the powerful health benefits of our product ¬- high
fibre and vitamin C – provide an ongoing communication platform with consumers,” says Mr Jager.
Mr Jager says Zespri welcomes the New Zealand Government’s decision to ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Agreement.
“The TPP would eliminate tariffs on kiwifruit exports into all 11 Asia-Pacific nations and the most immediate impact
would be in Japan, where kiwifruit growers paid around $25 million in tariffs last season. If this tariff relief was
passed straight through to New Zealand growers, it would equate to savings of around $1900 for every hectare of
kiwifruit grown in New Zealand.”
Mr Jager explains Zespri has partnered with local Japan kiwifruit growers for the past 14 years to grow Zespri gold
varieties to supply the local Japanese market in the few months of the year when New Zealand kiwifruit is not available.
Zespri also has supplying orchards in Italy, France and Korea to meet consumer demand in the New Zealand offseason.
“Our partnership with local growers keeps Zespri Kiwifruit on shop shelves in Japan all year round, supporting the
relationships with our trade partners and keeping our brand in front of consumers all year round,” says Mr Jager.
Zespri is expanding Japan production under a new commercial model which will see the aggregation of larger land areas,
with significant volume growth ahead in response to the exceptional success and demand for SunGold in the Japanese
market.
ENDS