Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply program is underway, with about 33 million trays, or 118,800 tons, expected this year from orchards in France, Italy, Greece, South Korea and Japan.

That includes nearly 26 million trays of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit, or 93,600 tons — a 30 percent increase from last season — along with 7 million trays of procured Zespri Green kiwifruit from Greece and Italy, totaling 25,200 tons.

Nick Kirton, Zespri’s executive officer for Northern Hemisphere supply, said the increase in SunGold volume reflects mostly favorable growing conditions, with Italy contributing a 35 percent increase in Zespri SunGold and Zespri Organic SunGold compared with last season.

“Following the completion of sales of New Zealand-grown SunGold kiwifruit in Europe, our ZGS SunGold sales program has now been underway for the past few weeks,” Kirton said. “We’ll also be transitioning to ZGS-grown SunGold kiwifruit in our Asia markets and in the U.S. in December, with Zespri Green sales getting underway as soon as we wrap our New Zealand Green program, with Europe now underway.”

Zespri’s Northern Hemisphere production supports its goal of maintaining year-round supply for customers and consumers in global markets, reinforcing its position as a category leader in kiwifruit and strengthening grower returns in New Zealand and abroad.

Kirton said Zespri looks forward to providing even more high-quality, great-tasting kiwifruit from the Northern Hemisphere in the coming years.

Work has been underway since January to roll out an additional 420 hectares of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit across Northern Hemisphere growing regions, following the successful New Zealand producer vote at the end of 2024. That includes 300 hectares allocated to Italy, 70 to Greece and 40 to France, with the remaining area to be developed in South Korea. The expansion marks the first commercial production of SunGold kiwifruit in Greece. Zespri also plans to offer customers and consumers in Europe its red-fleshed Zespri Red variety, with 170 hectares of commercial production approved in Italy over the next two years.

“The expansion of our Northern Hemisphere growing operations has sent a clear signal of our confidence in the long-term demand outlook for Zespri kiwifruit and enables us to continue partnering with the best local growers,” Kirton said. “Each season, we work closely with our supply chain partners to improve productivity while maintaining the highest quality standards that define our brand, and we’re looking forward to a strong start to the Northern Hemisphere sales season.”