Zespri kiwifruit helps retailers meet growing demand for back-to-school solutions

With back-to-school shopping underway, families are seeking nutritious, convenient foods to help fuel busy school days, after-school activities, and everything in between. As retailers look to meet these evolving needs, Zespri Kiwifruit, the #1 selling kiwi brand, offers a versatile solution that supports multiple eating occasions throughout the day. Retailers that feature eye-catching displays filled with Zespri SunGold™ Kiwifruit make it easier for shoppers to find their favorite fruit while helping drive repeat purchases and sales.

“Today's shoppers are increasingly looking for foods that deliver more nutritional value in every bite, especially during the back-to-school season when convenience and healthy choices matter most,” said Laura Wood, director of trade marketing at the company. “We help retailers meet that need, delivering exceptional nutrition, great taste, and strong seasonal performance. Through our ‘Jam-Packed’ campaign, we're giving retailers the tools to drive visibility, encourage trial and capture more snacking occasions throughout the school year.”

Image by Zespri

The back-to-school season is a key growth driver for kiwifruit, with the category attracting more households and driving greater household spend than any other fruit. During the second half of the season, average weekly sales volume increases +20% compared to the first half.* As parents look beyond highly processed snacks and toward whole, nutrient-dense foods, fresh kiwi offers an easy way to make the lunchbox both more nutritious and delicious. The new Dietary Guidelines for Americans reinforce this shift, calling on consumers to prioritize “real food,” including fruits and other nutrient-dense foods. 

Zespri’s strategy to conquer the lunchbox

Nutrient density is becoming an increasingly important purchase driver, creating opportunities for retailers to deliver greater value to health-conscious shoppers and drive premium produce purchases. Rather than relying on multiple food choices to deliver nutritional variety, a single serving of the firm's kiwifruit provides 10+ vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, folate, and a good source of vitamin E. 

As shoppers prioritize fresh, nutrient-rich foods during the back-to-school season, retailers have a significant opportunity to elevate produce as a destination for family nutrition. Zespri’s ‘Jam-Packed’ merchandising displays feature the KiwiBrothersTM and are designed to clearly communicate the fruit’s nutritional benefits and stand out on the shelf. Retailers can place their eye-catching displays near the front of the store to inspire easy snacking solutions and within the produce department to help shoppers easily find the company's kiwifruit and drive incremental sales. Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit make the perfect healthy lunchbox addition or after-school snack because of their convenience, portability, and nutritional benefits. 

Retailers can use an assortment of the firm's ‘Jam-Packed’ point-of-sale materials that highlight nutrition. 

Both adults and kids love the taste of Zespri SunGold - golden on the inside with a sweet and juicy flavor. The combination of nutrition and taste helps retailers meet multiple shopper needs and encourages trial among both existing and new category shoppers. The company's fruit helps support families throughout multiple eating occasions during the day, from a quick breakfast solution; an easy lunchbox addition - just cut, scoop, and enjoy; to a healthy dessert option. The company offers a range of kid-friendly recipes that retailers can use in their weekly circulars or social channels to help shoppers find ideas for nutritious meals and snacks.

Zespri Kiwifruit helps families thrive throughout the school year by delivering the nutrition, convenience, and great taste parents are looking for across multiple eating occasions, while helping retailers drive category growth during the back-to-school season. 

Sources: *Circana Total US MULO+ (2025 CY) / Numerator Total US (2025 CY)

*All images courtesy of Zespri

Related stories

Zespri develops its first self-pollinating green kiwifruit variety

Zespri reports record $3.45 billion sales revenue for 2025 season