It could be said the relationship between Zespri and international fruit and vegetable company The Greenery is 'trucking along” well – really well in fact, thanks to a rather large gift.

The Netherlands-based company The Greenery has presented Zespri with a truck brightly signwritten in Zespri graphics, which will deliver Zespri kiwifruit throughout Europe from June.

The gift was made during the Zespri Momentum Conference in March by The Greenery CEO Steven Martina, who presented Zespri CEO Lain Jager with a model truck, an exact replica of the real one.

'In 2013 The Greenery was in turmoil and it is times like this that you find out who your real partners are. We received great support from Zespri, its board and its European team – and our board, co-operative members and team at The Greenery are grateful for that.

'We want to give you this gift – unfortunately the real thing would not fit in the plane,” Steven said as he presented Lain with the model.

Lain, who had no idea the gift was coming, thanked Steven and The Greenery. 'Zespri has partnered with The Greenery for a long time.

'Everyone in the fruit industry experiences upsides and downsides when business situations get tough and this is when you do find out who your friends are. We are proud to work with The Greenery.”

The Greenery is an international fruit and vegetable company based in the Netherlands, working with more than 500 growers and supplying and distributing to supermarkets, wholesales, caterers and the processing industry.

In 2013 its turnover fell from EUR $1.4 billion to EUR $1.3 billion and its operating loss was EUR $21 million for the year ended December 31, 2013. The company underwent restructuring and has returned to an operating profit.