Zespri's SunGold and Green Kiwifruit – Perfect for Lunchboxes or an After-School Snack
NEWPORT BEACH, CA, August 22, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Zespri's SunGold™ and Green Kiwifruit are the perfect snack for the back-to-school season. Recognized by Good Housekeeping's 2025 Best Snack Award for the fifth consecutive year, Zespri's SunGold Kiwifruit excelled in both nutrition and taste by retail dietitians, culinary pros and at-home testers. Back-to-school snacks are expected to be strong this season, with global sales projected to exceed $100 billion, driven by parental demand for convenient and healthy options.(1)
"The Good Housekeeping award reinforces our reliability and quality as a healthy snack option, especially as we approach back-to-school," states Bianca Fiedler, Zespri's Trade Marketing Director, North America. "It's nice to be acknowledged by registered dietitians, chefs, culinary pros and consumers for both nutrition and flavor. Our kiwis are nutrient dense complete with more than 20 vitamins and minerals, including 100% of recommended daily vitamin C needs, as well as other key nutrients that support overall health, such as fiber, folate and potassium. It's also easy to eat by cutting in half, scooping and enjoying."
Zespri is the #1 brand in the kiwi category, with Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit fueling a staggering 49 percent of total kiwi category growth in the past year, with untapped profit potential in the category. When looking at the total fruit bowl, kiwi is the fastest growing fruit* across the department, increasing over +24 pts faster than the Fruit department growth rate. "Total kiwi has grown to the #15 spot in the fruit bowl over the last three months outpacing categories such as nectarines and plums," (2) said Fiedler.
Zespri has had a strong start to the season in the U.S. market. Improved distribution across retail and faster sales rates is due to increasing shopper demand. Additionally, more retailers added Zespri Green Kiwifruit to their assortment. "Our sales growth and shopper interest have been robust," shares Fiedler. "It's been fun to see the omni-channel buzz generated by our Zespri KiwiBrothers™ brand characters both in and out of the store." The KiwiBrothers have been on a mission to spread the kiwi obsession with media sampling and event activations reaching consumers in key markets and driving shoppers to stores. Zespri's key shopper metrics such as household penetration, repeat rate, and buy rate for the brand have all over-indexed vs. the same time last season. (3)
Retailers are being encouraged to stock up so shoppers can find their favorite kiwi brand. Place their eye-catching shipper unit display near the front of the store for easy snacking solutions and in the produce section for added sales. Zespri's SunGold and Green Kiwifruit make the perfect healthy lunchbox addition or after-school snack for the back-to-school season. A parent surveyed from the Good Housekeeping Snacking Award said, "These SunGold Kiwis are my kids favorite. A good reminder I need to buy some ASAP."
SunGold and Green Kiwifruit are both ideal to eat as is or as an ingredient in a number of kid-friendly recipes. Zespri's U.S. award-winning website, another industry honor from AndNowUKnow's Besties Award for best website, has meal ideas for every daypart and snacks. "Retailers can feature these craveable recipes in their weekly circulars or social channels to promote Zespri's award-winning kiwifruit for back-to-school," Fiedler said.
Data Sources: Top of the Class: Back-to-School Snacks that Make the Grade, Bakery & Snacks, July 28, 2025 1 / Circana Total US MULO+ (2025 NZ Season – WE 7/13/25) 2-3
*When looking at the total fruit bowl, kiwi is the fastest growing fruit (minimum $10MM total sales)
ABOUT ZESPRI GROUP, LTD.
Zespri is 100 percent owned by current and former kiwifruit growers and has a global team of 900+ based in Mount Maunganui and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to help people, communities and the environment thrive through the goodness of kiwifruit, and we work with 2,800 growers in New Zealand and 1,500 growers offshore to provide consumers with fresh, healthy and great-tasting Zespri Green, Zespri RubyRed and SunGold Kiwifruit. In 2024/25, we supplied 220.9 million trays (more than 795,000 tonnes) of kiwifruit to consumers in more than 50 markets, and recorded global operating revenue of NZ$5.14 billion. Please visit zespri.com/en.US.
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