Te Puke revives 'Kiwifruit Capital'

An artist's impression of the proposed kiwifruit slices at the eastern entrance to the town. Image / Supplied

Te Puke has been re-crowned the "Kiwifruit Capital of the World" with giant slices of kiwifruit planned to be erected at the eastern entrance to the town.

The icon earmarked to sit outside Te Puke's railway station retail complex could be accompanied by the opening of a shop selling kiwifruit products, souvenirs and excursion tickets for kiwifruit tours.

Te Puke Economic Development Group chief executive Mark Boyle (pictured) said the economic development group decided to rebrand the town as the Kiwifruit Capital of the World after listening to community sentiment.

"Of course we listened to the community voice, but we have made it abundantly clear it was never about them and us."

Mr Boyle's announcement was welcomed as a "victory" for the Creative Te Puke Forum which last Saturday handed in its 2562-signature petition urging the retention of Te Puke's brand as the kiwifruit capital.

"Everyone said wouldn't it be lovely to have a big kiwifruit slice coming into Te Puke - now we are going to get it," forum secretary Audrey Baldwin said.

The forum campaigned to keep the brand, fearing that the wider Te Puke area's brand of "Goodness Grows Here" could apply to lots of places in New Zealand.

Mr Boyle said "Goodness Grows Here" remained the over-arching brand for the whole area. He explained that they had changed the focus away from kiwifruit capital when the Psa crisis hit. But now the industry was re-energised, they had agreed to a slightly reworded brand of "Te Puke Township, Kiwifruit Capital of the World" to differentiate the town from the wider Te Puke area.

Mr Boyle disagreed it was a victory for Creative Te Puke because Te Puke EDG was always delivering on things that people felt were important. He had no problem saying that the petition had helped build the momentum.

Maketu/Te Puke Ward councillor Sue Matthews believed the kiwifruit capital brand had never been taken away, it was only submerged when Psa hit. It looked like the branding had been taken away because signs were changed.

The Te Puke area already features a giant kiwifruit at the Kiwi360 complex.

Te Puke town changes

* In 2013, the Te Puke Economic Development Group launched a new marketing strategy, under the slogan "Te Puke Goodness Grows Here" in place of the old slogan "Kiwifruit Capital of the World".

* A petition asking for the retention of Te Puke's brand as the kiwifruit capital gained
2562-signatures

* This week the Te Puke Economic Development Group announced it would rebrand the town "Kiwifruit Capital of the World"