More than five million trays, or 18,000 tonnes, of Zespri’s RubyRed Kiwifruit will soon be available for consumers across 16 markets.

The increased volume, up from three million trays last year, will see consumers in Australia, Vietnam and Canada able to enjoy the red variety for the first time.

Zespri chief executive Jason Te Brake said RubyRed Kiwifruit continued to be popular with consumers and played an important role in starting Zespri’s sales season.

“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.”

“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. There will also be increased volumes in Zespri’s core markets of China and Japan.

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 trademar.

One hundred hectares of Red80 licence will be available to growers in May 2026with Red80 expected to reach commercial volumes in 2028.