Singapore Zespri office to drive Asian growth

Peter McBride new chairman of Zespri. Photo/file

Prime Minister John Key has opened Zespri's new sales and marketing hub in Singapore which has been set up to manage the kiwifruit industry's strong export growth.

Mr Key joined a delegation of Maori kiwifruit growers on a marketing visit to Asia for a traditional Maori blessing of the new office and its whakiro/carving. Kaumatua Ngaropo Pouroto blessed the office and the carving Te Tipuranga by Tauranga-based carver James Tapiata, which symbolises the connection to Zespri's roots in the Bay of Plenty region in New Zealand.

Zespri chairman Peter McBride said: "Volumes of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit are set to grow strongly in the next few years and Zespri is investing in its market capability to deliver this growth for New Zealand growers. "This Singapore hub is the market-side base for our global sales and marketing leadership team." The head office of the kiwifruit export marketing entity is in Tauranga, with 80 per cent of New Zealand's kiwifruit grown in the Bay of Plenty.

"Being market-driven is fundamental to our success as a global brand and this office in Singapore supports our global connectedness and the market-centric approach of our industry."

Mr McBride said Zespri had created new global executive roles which had replaced previous executive positions in Europe and Asia, with Zespri president of global sales and marketing Daniel Mathieson and general manager marketing Carol Ward relocating from other offices with the establishment of the new hub. The new office will have a staff of 12 and expands on a previous in-market presence going back eight years.

Mr McBride said bringing the senior executive team together in Singapore with Asian IT and finance made sense and allowed market managers to hub in and out of the city.

Zespri evaluated 10 cities worldwide, with the final choice coming down to Singapore and Hong Kong. Singapore won because it was considered to be more user-friendly for Zespri executives with young families.

"Southeast Asia is one of our fastest-growing regions so we want to be able to keep a close eye on it," Mr McBride said. "The Singapore office is not just Zespri's global sales and marketing office, it's part of our focus on the region as well."

Southeast Asian is an important growth market for Zespri, with forecast sales of about $78 million this season and sales volumes set to almost double over the next five years. The hub will also offer corporate support services to nearby Asian markets, including Japan and China - Zespri's largest two country markets. Zespri is forecasting sales of nearly 4 million trays in Southeast Asia this season.

Zespri hub
- Will support sales in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia (Zespri's top three Southeast Asian markets) and also Vietnam, the Philippines and Thailand.
- Will provide corporate support services to the wider Asian region, including Japan and China.