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“Five years ago, oranges accounted for 80 percent of the trade with the balance being Mandarins. Today, oranges have declined 50 percent since 2012, while Mandarins have increased more than 300 percent.”
— Wayne Prowse, Fresh Intelligence Consulting
us, and we don’t have tariffs due to the count- er-seasonal nature.”
EVOLVING PRODUCT MIX
Although Australia and New Zealand’s heavy hitters of citrus and tree fruit continue to hold the market, other products make headway as well. “From Australia, Manda- rins increased 73 percent to $8.8 million, and fresh cherries increased 83 percent to $1.3 million,” says Prowse. “Fresh lychees increased 64 percent to $23,000, which was the second year of a three-year trial. Oranges, once the dominant product leader, declined margin- ally to $7.6 million. Five years ago, oranges accounted for 80 percent of the trade with the balance being Mandarins. Today, oranges have declined 50 percent since 2012, while Mandarins have increased more than 300 percent and exceeded the value of orange trade for the first time.”
Prowse explains Australian Mandarins and oranges come during July to October. “This is counter-seasonal to the United States but competes with other Southern Hemisphere suppliers, including Chile, South Africa and Peru,” he says. “Cherries are sourced from the Australian island state of Tasmania during December and January. Mangos are available November to February and sourced mainly from Australia’s sunshine state of Queensland. Lychees, a new product for the United States, are also sourced from Queensland from November to February.”
New Zealand remains strong in its tradi- tional fruit exports. Chapman notes continued growth in apples, which between 2015 and 2016 increased from $60.82 million to $83.26 million. “Kiwi rose from $26.79 million in 2015 to $50.68 million in 2016,” he says.
As volume and variety from this region grow, importers continue to expand their line. Giumarra Companies of Los Angeles
PHOTO COURTESY OF MELISSA’S/WORLD VARIETY PRODUCE
Lychees from Australia are starting to make a splash in the United States and are sourced from November to February.
markets kiwifruit, apricots, cherries, some citrus, and a full line of apples and pears from New Zealand.
Main items for New Zealand’s Zespri include the SunGold and Green Kiwifruit. “The New Zealand kiwifruit season begins in May and runs through November,” says Sarah Deaton, marketing manager for Zespri North America in Newport Beach, CA. “However, Zespri has been reconfiguring its business structure to enable it to become a 12-month brand in North America. To meet strong consumer demand for the SunGold, Zespri is bringing in kiwifruit from Italy, where Zespri’s Italian SunGold-growers grow for taste and deliver on Zespri’s comprehensive system of quality standards.”
Robert Schueller, director of public rela- tions for Melissa’s/World Variety Produce in Los Angeles, reports increases in sourcing from both Australia and New Zealand in various products. “In Australia we have seen a rise of 5 percent in our imports of mangos (from December through February) and lychees (February). From New Zealand we have seen a rise of 8 percent, including
( January to April), feijoa (February to May), tamarillo (April to June) and baby kiwi or kiwiberries (February to March).”
Enzed Exotics exports kiwano grown from the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. “Our season is mid-January to June,” says Vanessa Hutchings, managing director. “The kiwano is full of goodness and has a totally unique flavor and texture. We’re seeing interest from foodies wanting to try something different, and those seeking out nutrient-dense, real food.”
WHAT TO KEEP YOUR EYE ON
Retailers are encouraged to capitalize on the availability of quality products from this region. “Varieties of citrus in the fall are most popular,” says Frieda’s Jackson Berkley. “Items for winter include cherries, mangos and lychee. In spring, there is a lot of flavorful stone fruit coming into the United States as well.”
New Zealand’s reputation for dazzling new product varieties is another boon for retailers and consumers. “Newer varieties of apples, pears, and some cherry varieties are adding a nice mix for the retail shelf,” says Megan Schulz, Giumarra’s director of communications.
Breeding programs for new varieties being a particular strength for growers, Chapman notes the New Zealand industry is contin- ually focused on developing something consumers find fantastic and appealing. “The new varieties out of New Zealand speak for themselves,” he says.
Case in point, Giumarra will offer a New Zealand-grown Lemonade apple to the North American retail market during May through August. “Lemonade has a refreshing,
passion
fruit
( January to
May), kiwano
Enzed Exotics has primers on social media channels for retailers and consumers to learn about the unusual kiwano, including a quick “Kiwano 101” guide.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ENZED EXOTICS
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