New Zealand's Kiwi

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Kiwi fruit from New Zealand invariably bears the Zespri sticker. Zespri is the company that holds a monopoly on kiwi research and trade. Since the kiwi varieties grown in New Zealand were developed by Zespri, farmers cultivating them are required to pay licensing fees and sell their produce to the company. In other words, Zespri dominates the kiwi business in New Zealand. Unsurprisingly, this centralized control streamlines operations—such as logistics—and has helped New Zealand kiwis gain worldwide renown. An interesting fact is that the kiwi is not actually native to New Zealand but originated in China. Unlike in New Zealand, there is no company monopolizing the kiwi trade in China; anyone is free to grow and sell the fruit, resulting in a wider variety of kiwis there than in New Zealand.