NEW ZEALAND - As it continues to invest in the innovation necessary to keep our industry moving forward, Zespri has announced the first pilots from its new innovation fund, ZAG. These pilots will focus on the color of RubyRed kiwifruit, kiwifruit bin tracking, and biochar use in kiwifruit orchards.
“The RubyRed, bin tracking, and biochar initiatives have been selected to help us solve some of the specific challenges the industry is facing, and which benefit our industry, the wellbeing of our communities, and our planet. We’re looking forward to seeing the results of our pilots as we work to find solutions to help shape a thriving world through the goodness of kiwifruit,” commented Chief Marketing, Innovation, and Sustainability Officer Jiunn Shih.
ZAG is a $2 million (USD) annual fund that launched late last year. According to a press release, it is designed to address some of the key challenges the industry faces as Zespri continues to meet the growing demand for kiwifruit.
An Innovation Steering Committee chaired by Shih has been evaluating ideas submitted by prospective solution providers. The first solution selected to move into the pilot phase was the evaluation of color consistency of RubyRed Kiwifruit. The second pilot centered around improving the traceability of kiwifruit harvest bins with GPS devices. Pilot three involved a 12-month field trial of biochar on kiwifruit orchards.
The purpose of this new innovation fund is to Zespri a chance to accelerate its Research & Development (R&D) and broaden its ability to collaborate with global innovators.
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