Blueberries Could Be NZ's Next $150m Horticultural Export
Blueberries have the potential to become a major horticultural export, earning up to $150 million within the next three to five years.
The increased volume, up from three million trays last year as more orchards produce commercial volumes of fruit, will see consumers in Australia, Vietnam and Canada able to enjoy the sweet berry-like taste of Zespri’s RubyRed™ Kiwifruit for the first time.
CEO Jason Te Brake says RubyRed Kiwifruit continues to prove popular with consumers, and plays an important role in starting Zespri’s sales season with strong momentum, including in those markets receiving the RubyRed variety for the first time.
“RubyRed Kiwifruit is the first of our kiwifruit harvested each season, helping create excitement and secure early shelf space ahead of our SunGold and Green kiwifruit - something we saw last season with strong sales and positive feedback from our markets," Te Brake says.
"Building on last year’s successful introduction of RubyRed in the United States and strong volume growth in North America over recent seasons, we’re now able to expand beyond the Western States and into Canada.”
RubyRed volume to the US will triple this year, with retail sales expected to get underway in mid-April. There will also be increased volumes in Zespri’s core markets of China and Japan, with RubyRed sales programmes already underway in China. Zespri RubyRed Kiwifruit is also now available on shelves in New Zealand.
Te Brake says it’s been encouraging to see RubyRed sales programmes start well with demand in China particularly strong.
“Our first 25,000 trays of RubyRed in Shanghai largely sold out to key distributors and retailers, supported by our greater use of e-commerce platforms such as Douyin - the local version of TikTok - with around four days’ worth of sales from traditional channels completed in approximately four hours.”
“RubyRed’s shorter shelf life means it’s typically available for around eight weeks, with consumers loving its bright red colour and sweet, berry-like taste. It contains a number of antioxidants such as anthocyanins - naturally occurring pigments that give the fruit its red colour - and is a good source of folate, potassium and Vitamin C and E. RubyRed is also helping attract new and younger consumers to the kiwifruit category, as well as the wider fruit category.”
To support the growth of RubyRed, in late 2025 Zespri commercialised an additional red variety, Red80, to extend the commercial selling season. Red80 is harvested slightly later than Zespri’s existing Red19 cultivar and has a longer storage life, with the two varieties working together under the Zespri RubyRed trademark to extend availability, build awareness and lift demand.
A total of100 hectares of Red80 licence will be made available to growers in May 2026. Red80 is expected to reach commercial volumes in 2028, helping to meet the strong global demand for RubyRed Kiwifruit.
