Zespri has launched its 2035 strategy, a long-term plan to strengthen the kiwifruit industry’s resilience, unlock future value and a bold ambition to become the world’s healthiest fruit brand.
The kiwifruit marketer’s 2035 strategy has been launched at the industry’s two-day Momentum 2026 Conference in Mount Maunganui, which is being attended by more than 600 growers, shareholders, post-harvest and industry leaders and supply-chain partners and customers from around the world.
Zespri CEO Jason Te Brake said the industry is creating significant value for growers, working on a strong platform built over many years, and that now is the right time to look ahead at how it will continue to deliver value over the next 10 years in a more competitive and complex global environment.
“Our 2035 strategy responds to a rapidly changing global environment and the need to stay ahead of shifting consumer expectations, increasing competition, climate pressures, geopolitical uncertainty and accelerating technological change," said Te Brake.
“Having exceeded our previous target of NZD 4.5 billion in global sales revenue by 2025, Zespri’s new strategy sets an ambition that goes beyond financial performance, and as we look out to 2035, we’ve set ourselves an exciting ambition to become the world’s healthiest fruit brand."
Zespri has defined itself as the world’s healthiest fruit brand by delivering highly nutritious kiwifruit products to consumers, delivering strong, healthy returns for growers, and creating a healthy, rewarding environment for Zespri people to grow, develop, and perform at their best with its 2035 strategy supported by three strategic drivers.
1) Unleash brand-demand – building a globally iconic fruit brand loved for natural nutrition through creating desirability for the Zespri brand, expanding availability and visibility in key channels, and providing the best product and packaging experience.
2) Transform global supply – establishing a responsive, resilient and reliable year-round supply chain delivering leading value through unlocking future supply, building a world-class value chain and delivering service excellence.
3) Create the product portfolio of the future – creating the healthiest products for consumers and growers through enhancing our core product portfolio, expanding into new demand spaces and executing commercialisation with excellence.
“We’re aiming to be at the forefront of the global fruit category by championing health and nutrition for our consumers, delivering leading products through a resilient future supply chain, and providing leading value to growers."
Te Brake highlighted that consumers are seeking healthier food choices, markets are becoming more complex, and technology is transforming how people shop and how businesses operate.
This strategy has positioned Zespri to thrive in that environment, continuing to deliver high-quality, great-tasting Zespri Kiwifruit to help people, communities, and the environment around the world thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit.
Zespri will use a number of metrics across key focus areas to measure progress against its ambition to become the world’s healthiest fruit brand. Te Brake added Zespri’s purpose to help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit remains unchanged.
“Our industry has succeeded by being forward-looking, innovative and working together. Our 2035 strategy captures that and sets us up to keep growing value for New Zealand and our global partners, and to deliver the healthiest fruit experience to consumers around the world.”
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