Zespri’s new portal speeds up customer claims

NEW ZEALAND – Zespri, New Zealand’s top kiwifruit marketer, is accelerating its customer service with a new online claims portal that handles high volumes of orders in seconds.

The portal is part of a broader effort to modernize Zespri’s enterprise systems and improve operational efficiency worldwide.

Faster, smarter customer service

The self-service platform processes over 40,000 quality claims each year, worth about NZD$70 million (US$42 million), representing roughly one per cent of total sales. The system can manage more than a thousand deliveries in under two minutes and provide immediate outcomes.

“By combining intelligent automation with human expertise, we’ve built a platform that reinforces our brand promise and sets a new industry standard for service,” said Rahul Badge, head of in-market supply chain at Zespri.

“As a result, we have been able to meet our customers’ need for a simpler, faster, and more transparent experience, and give our assessors the tools to reduce manual input and share expert insights across the business. We now see each claim as a chance to show our commitment to service, quality and openness.”

At the heart of this shift is Zespri’s Horizon project, which has moved the company’s enterprise resource planning to SAP’s S/4Hana system. The project began in late 2022 and first focused on offshore supply chains, finance, business planning, inspections, and customer claims.

“We needed modern, scalable platforms,” explained Dave Scullin, Zespri’s chief digital officer. “Our industry was operating on systems that were 20 years old and designed for an industry that’s way smaller than what we are now.”

The next phase will cover grower applications, on-shore supply chain management, and sustainability reporting. Real-time business intelligence now allows Zespri to tune its supply chain daily and integrate applications such as AI-powered market analysis and instant invoice translation.

“Historically, it would have taken a lot of time to consolidate KPIs into spreadsheets, with many people in different markets. We want to look as it happens, to tune our supply chain and optimise it on a day-to-day basis,” Scullin added.

Red80 to extend RubyRed season

Zespri is also introducing a new red kiwifruit variety, Red80, which will extend the RubyRed sales window beyond the current eight weeks. RubyRed sales doubled this year, with over three million trays sold in New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Mainland China, Taiwan, South Korea, and the US.

“We have a proud history of innovation which has set us apart from our competitors and today’s decision is another example of the ongoing work our industry undertakes to meet the needs of our global consumers and deliver strong value to our growers,” said CEO Jason Te Brake.

Red80 ripens later than the existing Red19 cultivar and stores for longer. “The two varieties working together keep Zespri RubyRed in front of consumers for longer, building awareness, encouraging habitual purchase, and lifting demand,” Te Brake added.

With its digital platform and new variety, Zespri is strengthening both its service efficiency and global market presence.

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