Zespri Varieties

Zespri grows three varieties of kwifruit globally: Zespri Green, Zespri SunGold, and Zespri Sweet Green. This section describes the fruit characteristics of each variety.

Zespri Green

Zespri Green is a nutritious, delicious kiwifruit with vibrant green flesh, a distinctive sweet-and-sour taste and well renowned digestive health benefits. Zespri Green is the most sold fruit within our product portfolio.

Zespri Green Characteristics

Click here to download the Zespri Green Characteristics poster

Cultivar name

Acitinidia deliciosa

Harvest timing

Northern Hemisphere – 
Southern Hemisphere – March to mid June

External appearance

Brown to pale colour – hairy

Flesh colour

Bright green flesh

Taste profile

Invigorating and refreshing flavour with a consistently sweet/sour balanced taste

Texture

Full bodied texture

Brix

12.0–17.0
In all commercialisation phases, 9.5° Brix minimum

Size profile

Medium-sized fruit

Growing method

Conventional and Organic

Optimal eating firmness

1.0–0.6 kgf

Storage

Recommended storage temperature: between –0.5°C and +0.5°C

Humidity: store at relative humidity between 90% and 95%. Keep fruit in original packaging and do not remove polyners to avoid dehydration

Ethylene: store in an ethylene free environment (<0.030ppm). Do not store with ethylene producing products (such as apples, peaches, bananas, etc). Store preferably with vegetables if no ethylene free storage store available

Variety code

HW

Ripening

Zespri Green is harvested around 8 kgf and fruit flesh pressure decreases gradually throughout the season

Handling                                                                                        

 Sensitivity:
– strong, robust fruit
– easy to handle
– becomes more sensitive during ripening

Shelf life:
– arrives as a firm fruit
– has, in general, a long shelf life
– can be stored at ambient temperature to accelerate the opening process

Health attributes

High in fibre (EU), good source of fibre per serve (US), high in vitamin C
(EU and US), source of potassium (EU) and good source of potassium (US),
low glycaemic index (GI) and nutrient dense

Zespri SunGold

This juicy, golden-fleshed variety has a refreshing, sweet taste with just a hint of sour. With its delicate texture and smooth skin, Zespri SunGold is an attractive kiwifruit that keeps well and appeals to fans of both green and gold varieties.

Zespri SunGold Characteristics

Click here to download the Zespri Sun Gold Characteristics poster

Cultivar name

Acitinidia chinensis Planch. var. chinensis 'Zesy002'

Harvest timing

Northern Hemisphere –
Southern Hemisphere – early April through to May

External appearance

Golden to light brown – smooth

Flesh colour

Vibrant yellow flesh, sometimes with a thin green ring against the skin

Taste profile

Deliciously sweet and juicy with a refreshing sweet/sour balance

Brix range when ripe

13.3-17.5

Size profile

Medium to large fruit

Optimal eating firmness

 

Storage potential

Excellent storage performance through to the end of the season
Recommended storage temperature: between –0.5°C and +0.5°C

Humidity: store at relative humidity between 90% and 95%. Keep fruit in original packaging and do not remove polyners to avoid dehydration

Ethylene: store in an ethylene free environment (<0.030ppm). Do not store with ethylene producing products (such as apples, peaches, bananas, etc). Store preferably with vegetables if no ethylene free storage store available

Ripening

Zespri SunGold is harvested around 8 kgf and fruit flesh pressure decreases gradually throughout the season

Handling (to update)

Sensitivity:
– strong, robust fruit
– easy to handle
– becomes more sensitive during ripening

Shelf life:
– arrives as a firm fruit
– has, in general, a long shelf life
– can be stored at ambient temperature to accelerate the opening process

Health attributes

Source of fibre (EU), high in vitamin C (EU and US), source of potassium (EU) and good source of potassium (US), low glycaemic index (GI) and nutrient dense

Variety code

GA

For Zespri Sungold storage and ripening information, click here.

Zespri Sweet Green

Our newest variety combines the sweetness, smooth texture, and good keeping qualities of a gold kiwifruit with the vibrant flesh colour and tanginess of a green. This natural harmony makes it popular with green and gold eaters alike.

Zespri Sweet Green Characteristics

Click here to download the Zespri Sweet Green Characteristics poster

Northern​

Cultivar name

ZEH0004

Harvest timing

Northern Hemisphere – 
Southern Hemisphere – March through to April

External appearance

Mid brown to dark brown – hairy

Flesh colour

Vibrant green flesh. Flesh can yellow over time

Taste profile

Unique sweeter green kiwifruit taste

Texture

Smoother texture for a green kiwifruit and always ready to eat

Brix range when ripe

The average Brix when ripe during the season varies between 15–20° Brix
Brix (sweetness) continues to rise with enhanced flavour when the fruit is eaten softer

Size profile

Typically a smaller-sized fruit than Zespri® Green

Growing method

Conventional

Optimal eating firmness

1.2–0.3 kgf

Storage

Recommended storage temperature: between –0.5°C and +0.5°C

Humidity: store at relative humidity between 90% and 95%. Keep fruit in original packaging and do not remove polyners to avoid dehydration

Ethylene: store in an ethylene free environment (<0.030ppm). Do not store with ethylene producing products (such as apples, peaches, bananas, etc). Store preferably with vegetables if no ethylene free storage store available

Ripening

Zespri Sweet Green is harvested around 8 kgf and fruit flesh pressure decreases gradually throughout the season

The green colour of the flesh will fade if held at elevated temperature for too long. It is important to closely monitor colour change as well as fruit firmness. Once targeted firmness is reached, drop temperature to the recommended storage range (between –0.5°C and +0.5°C) 

Handling

Sensitivity:
– softer fruit and not as robust as Zespri Green
– easy to handle
– becomes more sensitive during ripening

Shelf life:
– the fruit softens and has a wide eating range of eating firmness, trying in the 'ready to eat' zone for longer
– ready for consumption upon arrival in-store

Health attributes

High in fibre (EU), good source of fibre per serve (US), high in vitamin C (EU and US), source of potassium (EU) and good source of potassium (US), low glycaemic index (GI) and nutrient dense

Variety code

HE

 For Zespri Sweet Green storage and ripening information, click here.

Availability of Zespri Kiwifruit

The majority of our fruit are grown in New Zealand. To ensure our consumers can enjoy our quality kiwifruit all year long, Zespri has developed partnerships with growers in the Northern Hemisphere. All  Zespri growers  are required to meet the same standards as those set by Zespri in New Zealand.

Storage Characteristics

Zespri Green and Zespri Sweet Green

 K

 Early season fruit that will require ethylene to ripen properly.
 H Early season fruit that will require ethylene to ripen properly.
 M Early-to-mid season fruit that will benefit from ethylene to ripen but will also ripen using warm temperatures.
 L* Mid-harvest fruit that will store well long term, and will have been stored in New Zealand for a long time.
 N* Normal mid-to-late season fruit.

*Zespri Green only

Zespri SunGold

 J Early season fruit that will have had a warm temperature treatment in New Zealand to de-green. Often needs to be moved relatively quickly.
 G Mid-early season fruit that will have had a warm temperature treatment to de-green.
 P Mid-early season fruit that will have had a short warm temperature treatment to de-green, likely to store for longer in the market.
 N Mid-to-late season normal fruit.