Zespri International

We’re pleased to share Zespri has won a significant legal victory in China, successfully defending the intellectual property rights of New Zealand kiwifruit growers.   The Wuhan Intermediate People’s Court has issued its judgement in our plant variety rights (PVR) infringement case, filed in 2023, against two defendants involved in the unauthorised production, sale and marketing of Gold3 kiwifruit, finding that the primary defendant infringed Zespri’s IP rights.   They’ve been ordered to remove the infringing plant material and to pay compensation to Zespri of 5,246,200 Chinese Yuan, or NZD $1.28 million.   This outcome is a significant win for the New Zealand industry and our partners in China, and marks a major step in our efforts to protect the rights of New Zealand growers. The full media release can be read here: https://lnkd.in/g34dRdsN

Applications for the Zespri School Fund are open!  We’re proud to support our local schools, Te Kura and early childhood education providers with a total of $15,000 in grants available through the fund to help them achieve their goals and support their communities.  Whether it’s for a fundraising initiative, a sports team, or a community school project, we’d love to hear from you!  Applications close on Friday 31 October 2025. Follow the link to fill out the application form: https://lnkd.in/gRfSAjZE or check out our website for more information: https://lnkd.in/geuGGaNC

We’re pleased to announce the appointment of Kok Hwee Ng as Zespri’s Chief Marketing Officer. With over two decades of brand marketing experience, she brings deep expertise and a strong consumer focus. Since joining Zespri eight years ago, she's led a range of programmes including our brand refresh and the development of our 2035 strategy. As CMO she will lead our global marketing strategy, champion the voice of the consumer, and drive brand innovation.

Zespri’s Young and Healthy Virtual Adventure kicks off when Term 4 gets underway and there are still spots available for schools to join! We’re proud to support this challenge, which uses a unique digital platform to engage tamariki in a fun, interactive way - encouraging them and their whānau to move more, drink more water, and enjoy nutrient-rich foods like Zespri Kiwifruit. The programme is free and features motivation from some of Aotearoa’s most respected sporting stars. It runs from Tuesday 7 October to Friday 7 November. To find out more, check out the video below and register your primary or intermediate school here: https://lnkd.in/gUR9wgT

Applications are now open for Zespri’s 2025 Horticultural Scholarships! Are you a university student passionate about horticulture and looking to build a career in the industry? Zespri is offering scholarships to support two current students with up to $10,000 each towards tuition fees. 🌱 Open to students from all degree backgrounds 📅 Applications close Monday 6 October at 5pm To find out more, follow the link below: https://lnkd.in/gP3cDBts

We had the privilege of welcoming athletes from Te Puru School to Zespri’s HQ in Mount Maunganui yesterday to present them with one of the most prestigious prizes of the Zespri AIMS Games - the Ripple Effect Award. The new award, which is a paddle signed by Olympic champion and Zespri ambassador Lisa Carrington, celebrates a team which makes waves - not just through performance, but through positivity, spirit and connection. Te Puru School’s Rip Rugby team did just that during the week-long tournament, with multiple nominations for their commitment to integrity, sportsmanship, and the spirit of fair play. Ka pai Te Puru School! Photos by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

As we near the end of this year’s Zespri AIMS Games, we want to say a big thank you to all our officials and supporters – the week wouldn’t be possible without you!  It’s been the biggest games yet with a record 431 schools taking part, bringing more than 14,000 intermediate-aged athletes to Tauranga this week competing across 27 sporting codes.   We’re really proud to be part of such an iconic event, and for the positive benefits it brings to young people and our community in the Bay of Plenty.   It’s also the last chance for entries for the Ripple Effect Award, in partnership with Dame Lisa Carrington, celebrating fair play in sport. The winning team will receive a paddle signed by Dame Lisa and a $500 Sports Distributors voucher - entries close tonight at 8pm! Nominations can be made via the Zespri AIMS Games app.

A ceremony took place at Port of Tauranga Limited at the end of last week before the newest vessel of our long-term shipping partner, Fresh Carriers Co., Ltd. set off on its maiden voyage carrying Zespri Kiwifruit. The MV Koru departed the port on Friday and will sail to Japan with 5,000 tonnes of Zespri Kiwifruit on board. The event was attended by our Board Chairman Nathan Flowerday and his wife Amanda, who’s taken on the role of godmother of the ship, along with other representatives from Zespri and FCC President Toshiyuki Koga. The Koru is the latest in FCC’s modern fleet, purpose-built to carry New Zealand-grown kiwifruit to Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea, with capacity to carry more than two million trays of kiwifruit 🥝🚢 Photo by Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media.

It was fantastic to see so many growers and shareholders come together for our Annual Meeting in Mount Maunganui yesterday - including many of our 327 new shareholders who’ve joined us through our recent initiatives to lift grower ownership of Zespri. Our Chairman Nathan Flowerday and CEO Jason Te Brake reflected on the 2024/25 season, which included reaching the milestone of $5 billion in sales, surpassing our long-standing target of $4.5b. With those results giving the industry a strong platform, Jason Te Brake shared how the focus is now shifting to looking to the future, with Zespri resetting its strategy for 2035 to continue to deliver leading value back to growers. The Annual Meeting also saw the election of a new director - Lain Jager, who knows Zespri well from his time as CEO between 2008 and 2017. We look forward to the contribution Lain will make in the years ahead.

We've released our first full forecast for the 2025/26 season which has us on track to deliver strong value to growers in a record crop year. The forecast reflects the strong start to the season, with average per hectare returns forecast to reach record levels for all categories other than SunGold and Organic Green. It's positive news for our growers in a season with even more fruit to sell, with sales tracking well across our key markets 🥝 The full media release can be read here: https://lnkd.in/gsikpfF7