Why New Zealand's golden kiwis are so expensive

  • 9 months ago
Golden kiwis are a pricey kiwi variety known for their yellow flesh and sweet taste. Created by Zespri, New Zealand's kiwifruit cooperative, golden kiwis saved the island nation's local kiwi industry after a disease destroyed most of its kiwi orchards back in 2010. Despite costing nearly twice as much as standard green kiwis, golden kiwis have proven more popular — and more profitable. Zespri's SunGold kiwi strain is so valuable that its sprouts have been smuggled overseas and sold in lots for 60,000 New Zealand dollars. But how can a fruit be under copyright? And what makes this particular kiwi so expensive?