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Australian/New Zealand Fruit Shows Enviable Potential
New varieties, exotic items and an Instagram campaign liven up produce departments and drive sales.
In 1962, Frieda Caplan introduced consumers to a strange bristly little fruit called the Chinese gooseberry, at that time a relatively unknown product in the United States. Now, a half-century later,
kiwifruit from New Zealand has exceeded $50 million in exports to the United States.
The evolution of the kiwi is just one example of how fruit exports from both Australia and New Zealand, key count- er-seasonal sources for the U.S. marketplace, have grown. “Years ago, the Australia/New Zealand fruit deal was just experimenting with this or that type of new apple, but now it’s integral,” says Richard Stiles, director of produce and floral for Redner’s Markets in Reading, PA, with 44 stores. “The constant new apple varieties are outstanding and are crucial to have in the department. And, you
BY JODEAN ROBBINS
can’t call kiwi an exotic anymore. It’s a stan- dard every department must have.”
The counter-seasonal nature of the deal allows for better offerings to consumers. “Instead of waiting for the North American season to start or eating out-of-season fruits that aren’t optimal in flavor, we are able to bring consumers the produce they love in full flavor since New Zealand and Australia are at peak season,” says Alex Jackson Berkley, assistant sales manager at Frieda’s Specialty Produce in Los Alamitos, CA, and grand- daughter of Frieda Caplan.
Brian Gibbons, manager at Highland Park Market in Farmington, CT, with five stores, favors in-season fresh product over storage fruit from previous production seasons. “Buying fruit from New Zealand guarantees customers get apples, pears and kiwifruit at
the peak of freshness,” he says.
New Zealand and Australia have experi-
enced an overall increase in exports of count- er-seasonal fruit to the United States in recent years. Exports of fresh fruit from Australia to the United States reached $18.4 million in 2017, a 5 percent increase over 2016 according to Wayne Prowse, principal and senior analyst at Fresh Intelligence Consulting in Sydney.
Fresh Facts, published by Plant & Food Research (Auckland, NZ) and Horticulture New Zealand (Wellington, NZ), reports apple exports from New Zealand to the United States were $83.26 million in 2016 with kiwi posting $50.68 million. “The numbers alone tell the story,” says Mike Chapman, chief executive of Horticulture New Zealand. “New Zealand fruit exports continue to increase. The United States is a very interesting market for
Passion fruit is native to South America and is also widely grown in New Zealand. The harvest season lasts several months, beginning in late January and running until September.
48 / APRIL 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA’S/WORLD VARIETY PRODUCE