WELLINGTON: Columbia Marketing International looks forward to another season of big growth in its New Zealand apple program.
Wenatchee, Wash.-based CMI began bringing in club varieties from New Zealand in mid-May, said Robb Myers, CMI’s vice president of sales and imports.
This is about the sixth year CMI has imported Kikus from New Zealand, Myers said. The company’s first arrivals came in mid-May and should last through mid-September, he said. “Sizing and availability are good. There are a lot of 72s, 80s and 88s.”
Kanzi apples from New Zealand are sizing similarly, Myers said. CMI is only shipping size-90 and larger Kanzis this season.
Kiku volumes have increased about 20% each year CMI has imported them from New Zealand, Myers said. Kanzi volumes will likely be up 50%.
Kikus are a year-round item for CMI, which holds the rights to market Washington-grown Kikus, too.
“We start with our in the fall and finish in mid-May, when New Zealand starts,” Myers said. “It’s not like it’s an in-and-out item.”
Flavor has sold U.S. consumers on Kanzis, which are also grown in the U.S. and marketed by CMI.
“The fun thing about Kanzi is its bold taste and nice finish. The ones we’re bringing in this year are eating absolutely phenomenally.”
Kanzis are one of the fastest-growing apples in Europe, and Myers expects the same to be true in New Zealand.
New this year in the marketing of New Zealand Kikus and Kanzis is a 5-box stand-alone shipper display, Myers said. The company’s retail partners had success displaying Ambrosias in the unit, and decided to try it with Kikus and Kanzis, he said.
New Zealand fruit is being packed in pouch bags, euros and “whatever specialty packs customers want,” Myers said.
