Zespri promotes health awareness among families through kiwifruit

Beyond providing its premium fruit, Zespri, a New Zealand kiwi-fruit grower-owned cooperative, has launched various programs in recent years to promote healthy eating habits in China. Now, its ongoing efforts are bearing fruit.

According to the company, one of its long-term programs, the Nutrition & Dietary Knowledge Standard Course Program, was launched in 2023 with the Chinese Association for Student Nutrition& Health Promotion. The program aims to educate children and their families nationwide about healthy food and eating habits. It has so far expanded to 35 cities, benefiting more than 1.5 million children across nearly 2,000 schools and 300 communities.

"This is especially meaningful for us because reaching children has a long-term effect on future generations. It helps them build healthy eating habits from a young age and lead healthier lives as they grow up. But more importantly, children bring their healthy eating habits and knowledge of kiwifruit back to their families," said Kok Hwee Ng, global chief marketing officer at Zespri, who participated in the eighth China International Import Expo from Nov 5 to 10 in Shanghai.

Over the past few years, Zespri has positioned itself as a long-term advocate for next-generation nutrition education in China, combining global scientific insights with localized partnerships. By focusing on "natural nutrition" — the core health value embedded in every kiwifruit — Zespri not only promotes healthier food choices but also inspires a broader shift toward science-based, balanced lifestyles among Chinese consumers.

"We are seeing a growing interest in understanding health and nutrition, as well as an increasing demand for science-based nutrition knowledge. Some of the work we have been doing allows us to bring our research and scientific evidence on the benefits of eating more fresh food to families and communities," she said.

Zespri's long-term commitment to China now sets the brand apart from its competitors. In China, an increasing number of people are aware of nutritional challenges, such as "hidden hunger". The public is also recognizing the nutritional value of kiwifruit. For instance, the vitamin C content of one Zespri SunGold kiwifruit is equivalent to that of approximately 6.2 oranges, said the company.

In 2024, Zespri recorded sales revenue of more than 1.1 billion New Zealand dollars ($622 million) in the Chinese market. Its three kiwifruit varieties have reached more than 30 million Chinese households in 72 major cities through more than 57,000 distribution outlets. "For us, China is one of our most strategic and fastest-growing markets globally," Ng noted. "Our commitment to China is unwavering. We believe in the future growth potential of this market and we will continue investing in it."

She added that the company's long-term vision is to become the world's healthiest fruit brand by 2035, and this continues to guide every step of its investment in China. "We believe that natural nutrition can empower the next generation to live healthier, more balanced lives, and we are proud to play a role in this national movement toward a healthier China."

"In 2025, we refined the Nutrition & Dietary Knowledge Standard Course Program by introducing the concept of nutrient density, helping more students and families become better informed and make healthier choices about their diets," said Ng.

Building on this foundation, Zespri has continued expanding its influence from classrooms to hospitals and more communities. On Nov 6, the second day of the eighth CIIE, Zespri joined hands with the Shanghai Children's Foundation and the Children's Hospital of Fudan University to launch the Sunshine Nutrition &Healthy Growth Program. This initiative marks a new milestone in encouraging healthy dietary habits among children and advancing Zespri's goal of becoming the world's healthiest fruit brand by 2035.