
The Kiwifruit Breeding Centre
Innovating with Tradition
The New Zealand kiwifruit industry has a rich history of breeding and research. KBC leverages over 100 years of traditional breeding knowledge and cutting-edge scientific innovation to develop new kiwifruit cultivars.
Purpose-Built for Kiwifruit Innovation
Kiwifruit Breeding Centre (KBC) is a 50:50 joint venture between The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd and Zespri International Ltd. This unique partnership ensures KBC is singularly focused on advancing kiwifruit breeding, with direct funding and strategic guidance from its shareholders.
With breeding operations co-located alongside Plant & Food Research facilities in Kerikeri, Mount Albert, Te Puke, Motueka, and Lincoln, KBC remains closely connected to cutting-edge scientific research. This collaboration enables us to integrate the latest discoveries into our breeding programmes.
KBC also benefits from Zespri’s global marketing insights, helping shape our breeding strategy to meet international consumer preferences and market demands. This synergy ensures our innovations deliver lasting value to New Zealand’s kiwifruit industry.