ORANGE COUNTY, CALIF. — Zespri Kiwifruit will be showcasing its SunGold Kiwifruit and Green Kiwi at the International Fresh Produce Association’s (IFPA) Global Produce & Floral Show with its famous mascots, the KiwiBrothers.

The show will be held in Atlanta Oct. 17-19, and attendees can visit Zespri at booth #B4052 to sample kiwifruit, sip a Kiwitini and hop in a photobooth with the KiwiBrothers. The SunGold Kiwitinis will be available during the booth’s happy hour 12-5 p.m. on both expo days of the show.

“Our booth is always busy with excitement, and it really is an extension of our omnichannel ‘Taste the Obsession’ campaign,” said Jeanne Wilson, Zespri’s head of marketing for North America. “This year we elevated the campaign with the addition of our KiwiBrothers. They are here to spread the sweet and juicy kiwi obsession across America. We will see more of them next year across our full marketing mix, including in-store and point of sale materials. We encourage retailers to contact their Zespri rep in advance to schedule a meeting. We are excited to share our new merchandising opportunities and set programs for 2025!”

On social media, the KiwiBrothers, who each have their own comedic personality, have made a name for themselves with their rendition of the ‘80s pop hit song, “Kids in America” by Kim Wilde.

“Consumers were entertained by this dynamic duo performing the song in TikTok videos; during Spotify’s audio streaming; on connected TV platforms including Hulu, Disney, Peacock, Paramount and YouTube; and through Facebook and Instagram posts,” Zespri said. “The music video successfully drove shoppers to stores. The campaign garnered over 1 billion impressions through paid media and PR activations. Additionally, over 2 million samples were distributed to consumers across the US this summer at events, fitness studios and through meal kits. Consumers participated in grocery giveaways at sampling events and Zespri’s influencers encouraged their followers to ‘scoop into their new obsession.’”

Zespri said the campaign has been a huge success in terms of total sales and dollar growth.

“Zespri has sold over five times the amount of dollar sales this season compared to the next largest competitor,” said Bianca Fiedler, Zespri’s trade marketing director. “The growth is driven primarily by Zespri’s SunGold Kiwifruit with a +15% increase in dollar sales and 11% in volume sales versus a year ago.”

Zespri is once again co-sponsoring the IFPA show’s welcome reception with SunGold Kiwi-inspired dishes and cocktails, and the company will provide SunGold Kiwifruit to runners participating in the annual 5K race. The Zespri team members said they are eager to keep their winning title for Best Team Attire and Best Team Spirit.

“The IFPA trade show is a welcomed industry event,” Wilson said. “We look forward to meeting with retailers and key industry leaders, showcasing our kiwifruit and Zespri spirit.”