Our Story

L:R: David Hughes, Former PFR CEO, Dr Matt Glenn, KBC CEO and Dan Mathieson, Zespri CEO.

Where we’ve come from…

The Kiwifruit Breeding Centre was formed in 2021 as a joint venture between Plant & Food Research and Zespri, taking their 30-year relationship of successful kiwifruit breeding to the next level.


Research and innovation are at the core of KBC’s business. We deliver value by applying decades of knowledge in plant breeding, plant physiology, genomics, chemistry and metabolomics, as well as applied disciplines, such as supply chain research and orchard management.

Combined with the world-leading market intelligence and fundamental science capability of our shareholders, KBC creates a unique and distinctly different value proposition.

Where we are heading…