(BPT) - Just when you thought you knew all the fruits in the produce section, you're in for a delightful treat. One kiwi variety may have slipped under your radar, but it's about to become your next obsession: Zespri™ SunGold™ Kiwi.

It took 10 years of passion and care to perfect this much sweeter, less fuzzy gold variety of kiwi, but it will take you 10 seconds to fall in love with it. Ideal for summer snacking, and in both sweet and savory recipes, this naturally sweet and juicy fruit will be your new favorite snack - just cut and scoop with a spoon to taste the obsession!

Zespri growers take a bold approach to growing kiwis, obsessing over them with passion and care to produce the highest quality fruit. Zespri is 100% owned by past and current growers and only does kiwifruit, focusing on producing the best-tasting fruit, rather than just the biggest fruit or yield. Best yet, they're bursting with nutrients your body needs.

A nutrient-packed summer snack

How can something that tastes this good pack so much nutrition in one complete package? SunGold Kiwis are bursting with nutrients, providing over 20 vitamins and minerals¹ including vitamin C, fiber, potassium, folate, vitamin E and antioxidants.

They're also known as one of the most nutritionally dense fruits.² In fact, you'll get 100% of your daily vitamin C needs in just one fruit, boasting the highest vitamin C content among commonly eaten fruit³ with a nutritious, refreshing burst of unexpected sweetness.

Fun fact: You can even eat the skin, which is smooth and less fuzzy compared to green kiwi varieties. Eating the skin adds 50% more fiber, which is already 2 grams per serving (2 kiwifruit).⁴

Make summer sweeter

SunGold Kiwis make the perfect easy-to-eat snack for summer travel (think beach days, road trips and more). Simply cut in half and scoop with a spoon when you're ready to eat, or just bite right in! You can slice them to enjoy on top of a breakfast bowl, add a pop of sweetness to a salad or level up your toast toppings. They're also fantastic blended in smoothies or juices, or even diced up in fresh salsa for a sweet and salty snack.

Join the summer sorbet craze to refresh your palate

Get on board the social media sorbet trend with this easy-to-make, tangy-sweet and refreshing recipe to help keep you cool on those hot summer days.

Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit Simple Sorbet

Ingredients
10 Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit (about 1 1/2 cups when chopped)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions
1. Cut Zespri SunGold Kiwifruit in half, scoop out the inside, and add to blender.
2. Add remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
3. Pour mixture into a loaf pan. Place in the freezer for at least 2 hours to freeze.
4. When ready to eat, scoop sorbet using an ice cream scoop.

Visit Zespri.com/en-US/recipes for more kiwi recipe inspo!

How to ripen and store SunGold Kiwifruit

To check if your kiwis are ready, hold one in the palm of your hand and squeeze gently - it should yield to slight pressure. Not ripe yet? No problem. Simply leave the fruit out at room temperature to ripen. You can speed up the process by putting kiwifruit in a paper bag with a banana or apple, as the ethylene gas emitted by these fruits accelerates ripening. Once the kiwifruit is ripe, you can store it in the fridge.

These golden kiwis make the perfect healthy and sweet summer snack that adults and kids alike will love. You and your family are bound to enjoy this refreshing summer fruit, no matter how you choose to eat it!

Taste the obsession

This summer, you can learn about Zespri growers' obsession with growing the best-tasting kiwis and taste the obsession yourself, as the iconic SunGold Kiwi is back in season and available at retailers nationwide.

Visit Zespri.com and follow on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok to learn more.

[1] FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service website. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168211/nutrients. Updated March 2019. Accessed June 17, 2024.

[2] Richardson DP, Ansell J, Drummond LN. The nutritional and health attributes of kiwifruit: a review. Eur J Nutr. 2018;57(8):2659-2676. doi:10.1007/s00394-018-1627-z

[3] Raw Fruits Poster. FDA website. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/raw-fruits-poster-text-version-accessible-version. Updated December 13, 2017. Accessed June 17, 2024.

[4] Can I Eat the Skin of Kiwifruit? https://www.zespri.com/en-US/blogdetail/can-i-eat-the-skin-of-kiwifruit. Accessed June 26, 2024.