Asia Fruit Awards celebrates its 2026 winners
Global kiwifruit marketer Zespri, Hong Kong-based fruit importer Freco International, Thai supermarket giant Tops/Central Food Retail, and leading Chinese distributor Goodfarmer have won the prestigious Asia Fruit Awards 2026.
The annual pan-Asian awards are jointly presented by Asia Fruit Logistica and AsiaFruit Magazine to celebrate excellence and recognize outstanding achievement in Asia’s fresh produce business.
The winners were announced during a presentation ceremony today at Asia Fruit Logistica, Asia’s premier fresh produce trade show, taking place at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong on 2-4 September 2026.
The Asia Fruit Awards are given in four categories: ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’, ‘Importer of the Year’, ‘Produce Retailer of the Year’, and the ‘Impact Award’, which recognizes significant contribution to developing Asia’s fresh produce business.
Asia Fruit Award for marketing campaign of the year: Zespri
Zespri scooped the Asia Fruit Award for Marketing Campaign of the Year for ‘Jam-Packed with Natural Nutrition’, which launched in 2025 across seven different Asia-Pacific markets.
The campaign positioned kiwifruit as a nutrition powerhouse ‘packed with 20 natural vitamins and minerals’ – translating the message into an engaging brand experience led by Zespri’s popular Kiwi Brothers mascots. A concept film featured the characters hosting a lively party for animated vitamin and mineral characters, while the campaign combined integrated regional execution with market-specific activations. In South Korea, for instance, Zespri partnered with K-pop artist AKMU on a hero music video featuring the Kiwi Brothers and The Nutris.
The campaign was recognized for making nutrition easy to understand and bringing nutrient density to life in a memorable, emotionally engaging way. Well-targeted to health-conscious consumers and young families, the pan-Asia campaign helped boost brand awareness and sales.
Accepting the award, Chorong Lee, Zespri International’s APAC brand development manager, described it as “an incredible honor for Zespri”.
“The award is testament to the power of creativity, purpose, and partnership. As our first-ever APAC regional campaign, this recognition reflects the passion, dedication, and collaboration of our teams and partners across the region,” said Lee.
“With the launch of Grown for Good, our new brand platform championing better nutrition, we will continue to raise the bar, inspiring healthier choices and creating lasting positive change for generations to come.”
Importer of the year: Freco International
Hong Kong-based Freco International won the Asia Fruit Award for Importer of the Year.
The family-run company, which imports and markets fruit to Hong Kong and Macau, was recognized for its progressive, consumer-led approach and investment in sustainable brand partnerships. Its work with miniature snack apple brand Rockit has helped grow sales fivefold in Hong Kong over the past five years to 100 container loads, supported by activations including branded trams, influencer partnerships, pop-up events and café integrations.
Freco has diversified across retail, wholesale and foodservice, making significant gains in the latter since the Covid-19 pandemic by promoting Driscoll’s berries with bakeries and Australian and New Zealand avocados through the More Yogurt drink chain. It has also engaged third-tier wholesale buyers through a WeChat-based loyalty program.
Freco International’s business development director Sam Sin collected the award.
“Fresh produce is a business built on trust. It starts with a grower trusting us to represent their fruit and their reputation in Asia,” said Sin. “As a business, we understand that trust cannot be built overnight – it is built through years of hard work. We thank every partner who has been part of our journey.”
Produce retailer of the year: Tops/central Food Retail
The Asia Fruit Award for Produce Retailer of the Year went to Tops, which is operated by Central Food Retail.
The Thai food retailer was recognized for the outstanding quality, range, and presentation of its fresh produce offering, as well as its in-store execution and customer engagement.
The Thai food retailer was recognized for the outstanding quality, range, and presentation of its fresh produce offering, as well as its in-store execution and customer engagement.
Central Food Retail currently operates 23 upmarket Tops Food Hall outlets, 145 large-format Tops supermarkets and 560 Tops Daily convenience stores. It continues to invest in upgrading its Tops Food Hall stores while introducing fresh elements across its large and small formats.
The retailer has also expanded its direct-sourcing programs to secure exclusive brands, high-quality products, and unique varieties to meet diverse customer needs. “In a challenging consumer environment and amid intensifying competition, Tops has stuck to its original philosophy of supplying the best quality fresh produce for Thai consumers every day – and it has reaped the benefits,” said AsiaFruit Magazine editor, John Hey.
Chairat Petchdakul, Central Food Retail’s head of produce, meat, local sourcing and Jing Jai Market, accepted the award.
“This recognition reflects our relentless commitment to connecting Thai consumers with the finest produce from across the globe, while driving sustainability and innovation alongside our valued local and international partners,” said Petchdakul. “Above all, it reinforces our ultimate goal to be the premier, world-class produce destination for the Thai market, where customers can always discover exceptional freshness, quality, and variety.”
Impact award: Goodfarmer Fruit Group
Goodfarmer Fruit Group was presented with the Asia Fruit Award for its impact and transformative role in developing China’s fresh produce industry over the past 24 years.
Starting as a commodity trader of Chinese garlic, ginger, apples and pears in 2002, the company has built an extensive import, distribution and cold chain network connecting international growers with Chinese consumers through supermarkets, wholesale and e-commerce, while also digitalizing its supply chain.
Its evolution is emblematic of the modernization of China’s fruit industry, said Hey, with Goodfarmer helping to shift the sector from commodity trading and fragmented distribution towards a more modern, standardized and brand-led ecosystem.
On the sourcing side, it has integrated its supply chain with major fruit-producing regions in South-East Asia, setting a benchmark for large-scale import of tropical fruits. It has also supported market access for banana imports from multiple supplying countries.
Goodfarmer was recognized for its consumer focus and brand strength. In terms of overall fruit brand reach, the Goodfarmer brand ranks first in the number of purchasing households in China, according to Worldpanel China analysis for the period December 2022 to March 2026. It also leads the banana category, with Goodfarmer-brand bananas holding the number one position for sales volume in China over the same period, according to Worldpanel China analysis.
Goodfarmer was recognized for its consumer focus and brand strength. In terms of overall fruit brand reach, the Goodfarmer brand ranks first in the number of purchasing households in China, according to Worldpanel China analysis for the period December 2022 to March 2026. It also leads the banana category, with Goodfarmer-brand bananas holding the number one position for sales volume in China over the same period, according to Worldpanel China analysis.
Goodfarmer has also invested in promoting fresh produce consumption and healthy lifestyles, including as the Official Fruit Sponsor of the Shanghai Marathon since 2017.
Owen Zhang, CEO of Goodfarmer Fruit Group, accepted the Impact Award.
“This award recognizes our long-standing role in global fruit supply chains, commitment to quality, and efforts to add value to this industry,” said Zhang. “Guided by this honor, Goodfarmer will continue to strengthen the fruit value chain, build sustainable partnerships, and deliver safe, high-quality fruit to consumers. We remain committed to supporting the high-quality development of China’s fruit industry.”
“This award recognizes our long-standing role in global fruit supply chains, commitment to quality, and efforts to add value to this industry,” said Zhang. “Guided by this honor, Goodfarmer will continue to strengthen the fruit value chain, build sustainable partnerships, and deliver safe, high-quality fruit to consumers. We remain committed to supporting the high-quality development of China’s fruit industry.”
The four winners of the Asia Fruit Awards received their trophies and certificates from David Axiotis, managing director of Asia Fruit Logistica organizer Global Produce Events, and Chris White, managing director of Fruitnet Media International, which publishes AsiaFruit Magazine.
“We warmly congratulate our fantastic Asia Fruit Award winners,” said Axiotis. “All four winners are to be commended for their remarkable achievements and pioneering efforts.”
*All images courtesy of Asia Fruit Logistica.
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