The number one produce brand?

Hello from the Fruitnet newsroom. Kiwifruit label Zespri is the number one fresh produce brand in all of its core markets, according to a new report published this week by Kantar. That’s an impressive achievement when you consider how much bigger the likes of Chiquita, Del Monte and Dole are in value and volume terms. And the fact remains, this New Zealand-owned brand still has plenty of room to grow in several markets.

In the last few days, we also learned that Zespri aims to sell 93,000 tonnes of kiwifruit grown outside of its home country this season as demand continues to grow. And for several of its European distribution partners, kiwifruit is definitely one of the more promising categories in the fresh produce basket – as Italy’s Orsero Group indicated this week in its latest set of results.

As reported a couple of weeks ago, Zespri believes it can sell even more from the Northern Hemisphere in future. But for this to happen, it needs its member growers to vote by 5 December in favour of a plan to expand production in France, Greece, Italy, Japan and South Korea. The company will hope that stronger forecast returns put those growers in the mood to expand. And other suppliers across the kiwifruit business will be keeping a keen eye out for the result.

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More freshly picked stories…

1. China in their hands ?? No story sums up the idea of untapped potential better this week than the news that a buyer in China is ready to spend A$300mn on Australian avocados. But as our reporter Bree Caggiati explains, there is still plenty of trade negotiation and technical work to do before any such shipments are allowed into the country. In the meantime, China has welcomed its first Tanzanian avocado imports, the Philippines has clinched access to Japan for its Hass, and Guatemala is about to start supplying the fruit to the US – just in time for the Super Bowl. By the way, avocados and other exotics are the focus of our Fruitnet Tropicals Congress, and we’ve just confirmed the event will head to Antwerp on 24-25 June.
2. Blues out the blocks ???? Peru’s produce exporters continue to build strong connections with Asia. Blueberries were the first product to depart the country’s newly completed Port of Chancay, which was officially inaugurated last week, and are now on their way to Shanghai. Meanwhile, Peru has signed an FTA with Hong Kong that promises to simplify trade between the two nations. Good news for exporters like Camposol, which has just posted its best-ever monthly earnings.
3. A star in the east ???? Many believe Vietnam offers huge potential for international fresh fruit and vegetable suppliers. And it’s a market that is becoming more and more open to imported products. Peru, for example, was granted approval to send mandarins there just a few days ago. The excitement many feel about the country’s fresh produce potential is a big reason why we plan to hold a new event, Fresh Produce Vietnam, in Ho Chi Minh City on 13-14 May 2025.
4. Stout defence ?? In his comment piece last week, Alistair Smith accused certification provider Rainforest Alliance of making the compliance process overcomplicated and costly for banana growers. In this interview, the group’s chief programme officer Ria Stout tells Tom Joyce how its plan for a revised set of standards will reduce the burden on farmers.
5. Tip of the iceberg ???? The ripple effect from Spain’s dreadful flood continues, with exporter Agro Max reporting a rise in European demand for Egyptian iceberg lettuce after production was lost in Murcia. In Valencia, meanwhile, a new cloud hangs over the citrus business: farming unions have threatened to take strike action in December, which would be a disaster for the region’s Christmas sales. And as the WCO pointed out at the start of the week, citrus production in the Northern Hemisphere is already forecast to fall this season.
6. When the levy breaks ?? Our Fresh Produce Journal team covered this week’s biggest story in the UK, an angry demonstration by farmers who took to the streets of London to oppose the government’s new inheritance tax rules. Among them was Angus Soft Fruits grower James Porter, who told Chris White why he had joined the protest, and Max MacGillivray, who shared some great photos from the march.
7. Trolley dash ?? Also in the UK, Lidl has seen strong category growth (+22 per cent) in fresh produce, making it the fastest-growing grocery retailer in fresh fruit, veg, and salads. The discounter has invested heavily in new and better stores, as well as the freshness of its produce. And now its fellow Teutonic trader Aldi is planning to test the market by offering shoppers more loose fresh produce.
8. Raisin’ their game ?? Shipping line MSC has revealed it will launch a new grape service from Southern Africa to Europe in January. It seems a good time to offer the region’s grape exporters more capacity. Our man on the ground Fred Meintjes has posted an update from South Africa’s Orange River, where grape harvesting is now underway, and a report on how the country’s focus on new varieties could reap new rewards. Elsewhere in the grape business, Chile aims to ship 7mn cartons to the US, and Arra growers in Brazil look for ways to innovate.
9. Making waves ?? The Port of Wilmington in the US has introduced new technology that scans fresh produce shipments and detects any issues instantly. In an age where speed is of the essence, the so-called ‘microscope’ promises to reduce waiting times at the port significantly. How they would love to press the fast forward button further south at SeaPort Manatee, where damage from October’s Hurricane Milton has been estimated at around US$200mn. In Europe, meanwhile, London Gateway has been chosen to handle all of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd’s Gemini Asia-Europe services.
10. Machine earning ?? Almost everywhere you look, our new robot overlords [Ed–assistants, surely?] are busy taking over. Norway’s Saga Robotics is to expand its work to control mildew on berry farms, Source.ag has enlisted the help of Wireless Value to get more digital ears to the ground, Bayer and Netafim plan to work more closely on digital solutions for growers, and a new study suggests satellite images could help farmers combat climate threats.
11. Trading places ?? Former Calavo Growers and Mission Produce senior director Tommy Padilla has joined Fresh Del Monte as head of its international avocado business. His former employer Calavo has welcomed back James Snyder to a new role as CFO. In Germany, Port International has officially confirmed that Karlsson Port and Mathias Marten have been appointed as managing directors. And Apple and Pear Australia Limited has named Matthew Lenne as its new pear director.

Still ripe and ready…

??? Gary Marshall of London’s New Covent Garden Market speaks to Chris White about the wholesale market’s 350-year history.

?? Danny Guo of JWM Asia tells John Hey that China and other markets in Asia have the capacity to absorb a surge in Chilean cherry volumes.

Thanks for reading…

Mike Knowles, Fruitnet Europe

PS Asiafruit Magazine’s superb Thailand issue is out now. Full details here.