Colin Bond: Quota for RubyRed Kiwifruit doubled

Three million trays of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit will be available this season - double last years quota. 

That's 10,800 tonnes being shipped this year. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Do you love ruby red Kiwi fruit? Because Zespri seems
to have a new star among its in the midst
three million trays of their ruby red Kiwi fruit will
be available this season, double last year's quota. That's three
million trays. That's eight hundred tons being shipped off here,
there and everywhere. A big win for growers and New
Zealand Kiwi Fruit Growers Incorporated. CEO Colin Bond is.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
With me, good morning, good morning, Hey.

Speaker 1 (00:24):
Where's this popularity for ruby red come from?

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Ah? I think, like all of our other products, it's
about understanding our consumers first and what they need. Good
at investment and science and research over the years, and
we're really proud to be able to produce one of
the world's best red ki fruits.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
Is it the taste or the look that makes it popular?

Speaker 2 (00:48):
I think a combination of both. But again, like all
of our product categories, were not necessarily the most appealing fruit.
But it's the taste I think, and the knowledge that
it's a really healthy product. So I think we're on
the right side of global trends when it comes to
healthy even do.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
Ken we's get a look in with this product? Or
is it all getting shipped off overseas.

Speaker 2 (01:08):
No, given that we've now got three million trays this year,
then we're really hopeful that some of that fruit will
stay on shore and New Zealanders will be able to
see it in our local supermarkets too.

Speaker 1 (01:18):
How much does having different types of key fruit actually
boost your overall business.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
It's critically important. You know. We've got an industry that
was built on green key refruit and the fiber that
is known for. We've been able to build out that
category with gold key refruit, and now with an exciting
red variety, we're attracting new consumers to the category. So
the strategy has always been about having a product suite

(01:45):
full of the world's best key fruit, and we're absolutely
delivering that.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Do you expect to see more growers shift to that
particular brand of key fruit.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
That's a great question. I mean, I think it's about diversification.
A lot of growers are looking at following that strategy.
A majority of our growth is already growing both green
and gold gold key reference and I think it's those
that are a little bit more more entrepreneurial that have
given the red variety you go, and certainly those that

(02:17):
were early to the variety are having some real success
with it, so we're hopeful that we can continue to
grow the category and that does mean more planting.

Speaker 1 (02:24):
Hey, just from the practical point of view, how big
a deal is it for a grower to switch to
start growing a new variety, because it's not like they
can just conjureuct more land.

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Is it?

Speaker 1 (02:34):
They've got to convert, don't they? And how long does
that take?

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, that's right. With two options, you can do a
green field's development, so if you're starting from scratch, that
can be three or four years to get up to
profferblead production. Or they have the option of what they're
called cutting over, So that means moving from a green
or a gold variety and cutting across to the new
red and that would take a couple of years. So
there's an opportunity cost and that and that's what grow

(03:00):
have to weigh up.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Just for the reminders of the proportions here. So we've
got eight hundred tons of ruby red Kiwi fruit. Where
does that sit in terms of just the other varieties
and how much we send of the golden and the green?

Speaker 2 (03:13):
Yeah, sure, it's proball be easier to talk trays three
million trays of red compares to around about sixteen million
trays of green, and there nearly one hundred and thirty
million trays of gold Kiwi fruit, so it's a very
small percentage, but it still plays an important role because
of the first fruit that gets to the market helps
us secure a shelf space and creates excitement for the categoris.

Speaker 1 (03:36):
Excellent good stuff. Colin really appreciate your time this morning.
That is Colin Bond. He is a New Zealand ky
Fruit Grows Incorporated CEO. For more from the mic Asking Breakfast,
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