Zespri RubyRed kiwifruit has finally landed on the South Australia Produce Market; the first fruit arrived on Wednesday, March 25. There have been small quantities of red kiwifruit from the USA over the past three years, with their season having just finished. However, this is the first season for Zespri RubyRed from New Zealand.
"The fruit presents beautifully, with vibrant red colouring through the centre, and the flavour is noticeably sweet, which we expect will appeal to consumers looking for something new and different in the category," said Penny Reidy, Marketing, BD & Communications Manager at the market. "The colour is what stops people, but the sweetness is what will bring them back. It's a really unique piece of fruit and something a bit different for consumers to discover.
© SA Produce Market
"This is the first year we have seen any commercial volumes sent to Australia. While the volumes are still well below what we see for green and gold kiwifruit, supply has been good, and we expect volumes to steadily increase over the coming years as the variety becomes more established in the market."
The season is relatively short. At this stage, Penny anticipates approximately six weeks of supply into Australia, which she said will help maintain strong interest while the fruit is available.
"The response has been very positive so far. Independent fruit and vegetable retailers across South Australia have been quick to pick up the new variety, and there has already been a lot of interest on social media due to the striking internal colour. We're always looking for ways to encourage people to eat more fresh fruit, and new varieties like RubyRed help create excitement in the category and give consumers something new to discover.
"With fruit and vegetable consumption declining, new varieties like this are important because they create interest, provide something different for consumers, and ultimately create new occasions for people to buy and eat fruit.
For more information:
Penny Reidy
South Australian Produce Market Limited
Tel: +61 8 8349 4493
[email protected]
