The kiwi market has been difficult this year, according to Pascale Begoulle, sales manager of Sikig. “The outputs are lower than in previous years. The market has been slow since the start of the campaign, as for many other products.” This situation is linked to the current economic context. “Consumers are more cautious and buy less.” Sales are slower which, on the other hand, will allow the campaign to last longer.
“The French kiwi campaign will definitely last until the end of May. This will help bridge the gap quite naturally with the New Zealand origin. Regarding production, the volumes are constant but the sizes have suffered from the weather conditions. “With the drought in the summer, we have a lot of small fruits, so we have focused on it since the start of the marketing period.”
Promotion of green kiwis: consumption has dropped due to inflation, but tricolor green kiwis do benefit from regular promotional actions. “There is a plan with retailers because most of the French production is sold in France. So there are promotional actions every week to boost sales. In order to attract consumers, the focus is placed on the fruit’s nutritional qualities.
Evolution of the yellow kiwi
“Sweeter and tastier” than its green counterpart, the yellow kiwi is gaining in popularity among consumers every year. “The Sungold is a hit,” explains Pascale Begoulle. Sikig added yellow kiwis to its range about ten years ago, thanks to its New Zealand partner Zespri. “We produce Sungold kiwis for France and we deliver significant volumes to Zespri. These volumes continue to grow.” A very welcome diversification because, according to Pascale, yellow kiwis are the salvation of green kiwis. “The French green kiwi production is in decline, so yellow kiwis, with their higher prices, are an interesting bet for producers.”
Turning point for the kiwi sector
“Production costs have increased significantly, marking a turning point for the sector.” Kiwi fruits are no exception, with prices and yields that have not increased. We are feeling the drop in purchasing power very strongly. The campaign is not as good as in previous years, but the situation is not catastrophic. “Whatever happens, our margins are going to go down, that's for sure!”
“This year marks a turning point,” explains Pascale. “At the end of the campaign, we will be able to make assessments and see how we position ourselves.”
For more information:
SIKIG
Pascale Begoulle
Phone: + 33 (0)5 58 73 22 34
Mobile: + 33 (0) 82 68 43 50
pbegoulle@kiwi-france.com
www.kiwi-france.com