Zespri to commercialise additional red variety to support growth of Zespri RubyRed™ 

Media Release

10 Dec 2025

The Zespri Board has today approved the commercialisation of an additional red variety – Red80 – to extend the commercial selling season for Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit. The decision follows the doubling of Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit volume this year, with more than three million trays sold across key markets including New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, South Korea and the USA.

CEO Jason Te Brake says the decision reflects Zespri’s commitment to producing new cultivars that will help Zespri maintain its market position as leaders of the kiwifruit category and maximise value for New Zealand growers.

“We have a proud history of innovation which has set us apart from our competitors and today’s decision is another example of the ongoing work our industry undertakes to meet the needs of our global consumers and deliver strong value to our growers.

“The kiwifruit category is increasingly competitive, and our customers want a consistent supply of the full portfolio of our kiwifruit, whether that is Zespri Green, Zespri SunGold™, or Zespri RubyRed™, so the addition of a new red variety to extend our RubyRed™ sales season is something we’re really excited about.

“Red kiwifruit naturally tends to be shorter storing than green and gold kiwifruit, so we currently have a limited sales window of around eight weeks. Red80 harvests a bit later than our existing Red19 cultivar and stores for longer, with the two varieties working together to keep Zespri RubyRed™ in front of consumers for longer, building awareness, encouraging habitual purchase, and lifting demand.”

Following the commercialisation of Red19 in 2019, commercial volumes of Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit were first sold in 2022, with the fruit extended to new markets each year to a current presence in 13 markets. Zespri RubyRed™ Kiwifruit deliver a unique, vibrant red kiwifruit with a sweet berry taste and nutritional benefits that set it apart from SunGold and Green. Since the variety’s launch it has attracted new and younger consumers.

“Our research shows around 30 percent of people who purchase Zespri RubyRed™ are new to kiwifruit, so it brings more people into the category and creates additional opportunity for our other products,” adds Mr Te Brake.

Red80 has been naturally bred through Zespri’s joint breeding programme with Plant & Food Research (now part of the Bioeconomy Science Institute). In 2021, Zespri and the Bioeconomy Science Institute established the Kiwifruit Breeding Centre, a joint venture to accelerate the delivery of new cultivars. Zespri currently has 20 varieties of kiwifruit, kiwiberries, and males in pre-commercial trials, reflecting its commitment to deliver new varieties faster to meet new consumer needs, drive additional sales, and continue its growth trajectory after exceeding its ambition of reaching $4.5 billion in global sales by 2025.

Mr Te Brake confirmed that 100 hectares of Red80 licence would be made available to growers in 2026, including through a cutover pool for those existing Red19 growers wishing to bid for licence.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with growers to provide our consumers with even more great tasting and high-quality red kiwifruit, with Red80 expected to reach commercial volumes in 2028, helping deliver strong value for all of our RubyRed Kiwifruit growers,” Mr Te Brake says.