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Zespri applauds expanded plant protections, celebrates record results

Thursday, 21 May 2026

For 2025, a record $3.56 billion was paid to growers across the Bay of Plenty, Northland, the East Coast, Nelson and the Waikato, as well as a dividend of $1.39 a share.
For 2025, a record $3.56 billion was paid to growers across the Bay of Plenty, Northland, the East Coast, Nelson and the Waikato, as well as a dividend of $1.39 a share.

Zespri has had a record year for revenue, profit and grower dividends in 2025, and is hoping a tightening of plant variety rights proposed recently will further advance surging kiwifruit sales.

Last week, the Government proposed to make targeted amendments to the Plant Variety Rights (PVR) Act 2022. Zespri says the move will strengthen protections around its PVR-protected varieties - SunGold and RubyRed - which comprise 75% of all its exports.

The company believes stronger IP protection will also support the goal of growing sales revenue by two to three times by 2035.

Announcing record results for the 2025 year last night, chief executive Jason Te Brake said changes including extending the PVR ownership period and reinstating provisional protection for new varieties would “protect the premium our licensed varieties demand in market, securing strong value for longer”.

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Zespri could boast a stellar 2025 season in the interim anyhow, with revenues and grower dividends ahead of last year.

In 2025/26 it had supplied a record 248.1 million trays (more than 893,000 tonnes) of kiwifruit to consumers in more than 50 markets, and notched up record global operating revenue, including licence revenue that it makes from commercial rights to grow its patented kiwifruit varieties, of NZ$6.13 billion.

Fruit sales alone reached a record NZ$5.9 billion, up from NZ$5 billion last year.

Returns to growers are paid out of fruit sales revenue, minus Zespri operating and freight costs. For 2025, a record $3.56 billion was paid to growers across the Bay of Plenty, Northland, the East Coast, Nelson and the Waikato.

This was up from $3.04 billion in 2024.

Zespri corporate earnings - after tax profit - was $280.1 million, up from $155.2 million the year prior. From this pool, a net dividend of $1.39 per share will also be paid to growers.

Zespri is fully owned by its current and former kiwifruit growers, including 2,800 local and 1,500 offshore growers producing Zespri Green, RubyRed and SunGold Kiwifruit.

Te Brake says the 2025 season results signalled the industry’s momentum.

“Record per-hectare returns and our improved per tray returns reflect improved yields and our ability to secure strong value for growers, shareholders and our communities through the strength of our brand and supply chain.

“While we experienced pressure in certain markets, this was offset by our strong performance in key regions such as Europe and North America.”

Te Brake says the 2025 season also marked an important step forward with the industry looking ahead to the next decade, with the help of its 2035 strategy.

“By focusing on our three drivers - building brand-led demand, transforming global supply and creating the product portfolio of the future, we’ll be in a strong position to realise our ambition of becoming the world’s healthiest fruit brand by 2035 and deliver strong value to the industry,” he said.

For the current 2026/27 season, sales were off to a strong start.

“While the global environment remains complex, demand is positive and we’re seeing strong sales in Europe and North America, with Japan also performing well, and we’re looking forward to sharing our fruit with even more consumers in the year ahead.”