A new Zespri office opened in Dubai this week to manage growing sales and marketing programmes in the Middle East and other developing markets.

Zespri is growing its presence across the Middle East, India and Africa and the new office will support this growth, says Zespri chief executive Lain Jager.

'More consumers in the UAE and these regions are enjoying the great taste of premium quality, healthy Zespri Kiwifruit.”

Sales are set to increase by more than 50 percent over the next five years with more than four million trays of New Zealand fruit and more than two million trays of Northern Hemisphere grown fruit.

'Zespri's gold variety SunGold has proved particularly popular with consumers in the Middle East who enjoy its sweet, juicy taste and powerful health properties,” says Lain.

'Our team in-market is working hard to expand distribution across the region to introduce more consumers to our premium quality fruit and get more of them to buy Zespri Kiwifruit each week.”

Zespri is intending to grow overall kiwifruit consumption around the world and increase kiwifruit's share of the global fruit bowl from a fraction of a percent, and building new markets like the Middle East, India and the United States is a key part of this.

The new office was opened and blessed by a Maori delegation led by Tauranga kaumatua Kihi Ngatai, and a traditional Maori whakairo (carving) installed in the office.

The whakairo is named Te Hau Marama which translates to the Wind of Understanding and embraces traditional architecture of the region which takes advantage of desert winds to keep a comfortable breeze for its inhabitants.

Kaumatua Kihi Ngatai blesses and dedicates Zespri's Dubai branch office this week. Photo: Supplied.

The carving is made of kauri, traditionally used for pare (lintels) over doorways in wharenui (tribal meeting houses) in New Zealand which provide a boundary between the physical world outside and the spiritual world inside the wharenui.

It is the work of James Tapiata who has made several other carvings for Zespri offices in New Zealand and around the world.