Taste Zespri Programme – Key Changes for 2021
To encourage consumers to repeatedly choose Zespri Kiwifruit, we must produce premium kiwifruit that consistently delivers a superior taste and quality experience.
This is where the Taste Zespri programme plays a key role.
Taste Zespri Payments reward growers for producing high-taste fruit, a key driver for the value generated in the markets around the world, ensuring Zespri and the New Zealand kiwifruit industry remain the globally-preferred brand and supplier of kiwifruit.
The Industry Advisory Council (IAC) has undertaken a review of elements of the Taste Zespri programme and the broader interaction of grower incentives for next season. The review had to balance the need to maintain our premium taste offering, while promoting harvest behaviour that provides potential for improved quality outturn and fruit utility across our supply chain.
With dry matter testing returning for the 2021 harvest, the IAC have agreed on the following key changes for the 2021 Taste Programme:
- The Gold3 Taste Zespri Grade (TZG) payment cap will be lowered from 1 to 0.86 (19% dry matter) for count sizes 16 – 30, with a sliding scale TZG cap for smaller sizes of:
o Count 33 – 0.78 TZG
o Count 36 – 0.68 TZG
o Count 39 – 0.58 TZG - Due to the lowering of the TZG cap to 0.86 and the inclusion of a flat TZG from minimum taste standard to 17% dry matter, the Gold TZG has changed to a linear line per chart below:
- The current Hayward TZG cap of 1 and TZG curve will remain status quo.
- Consumer sensory work will take place in 2021 to understand whether further changes to Gold3 TZG could be made. Consumer sensory work will also be undertaken to understand if the Hayward TZG curve could be altered as well.
If you have further questions please contact NZKGI here.