Zespri CEO Dan Mathieson to leave for new Americas fruit sector job

Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson has been with the kiwifruit exporter for 21 years. Photo / Alan Gibson

Zespri chief executive Dan Mathieson is to leave the global kiwifruit exporter and marketer for a new job in the world fruit sector.

Mathieson has been at Zespri for 21 years, nearly seven as CEO, and will remain at Zespri to oversee the 2024 harvest and start of the sales season and until a new CEO is appointed, the company said in a notice to the unlisted market.

Mathieson is to take up a new job as president of the Americas for California-based berry company Driscoll’s. The century-old family-owned company, which is supplied by hundreds of independent growers, is described as a global market leader in fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries.

The Singapore-based Kiwi leaves as the $4 billion kiwifruit sales industry is poised to deliver one of its largest crops.

Outgoing Zespri chairman Bruce Cameron said under Mathieson’s “exceptional leadership” Zespri grew sales from almost $2.3b in 2016-17 to a peak just over $4b in 2021-22, with that growth set to continue in the coming years.

“Through that time he demonstrated his ability to bring talented people together, to set and execute strategy and ultimately, to deliver great outcomes for the industry.

“Dan leaves the company in a strong position to build on the industry’s success, with strong and stable management and a clear strategy the team is committed to executing well. I’m excited about the future and know we have the right people to continue to create value for our growers and partners and we know Dan will have great success in his new role.”

Mathieson said he was proud of what the New Zealand industry was achieving.

“The industry has a track record of making bold, forward-thinking decisions, which have added strong and sustainable value for growers and communities where we operate.

“I’m most proud of the people at Zespri and their commitment to delivering for our growers and partners. We’ve built a terrific culture, which can bring the best out of the best people to drive Zespri forward.”

The board of the company, owned by past and present New Zealand kiwifruit growers, would start an executive search for Mathieson’s replacement.

Zespri is the world’s biggest single marketer of kiwifruit, with a global team of 850 based in Mount Maunganui and throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas.

It is supplied by 2800 growers in New Zealand and has 1500 contracted growers abroad to provide Zespri-branded fruit year round.

In 2022-23, the company supplied 183.5 million trays of Zespri Green, SunGold and RubyRed kiwifruit to consumers in more than 50 markets. It reported global operating revenue of $4.22b.

Andrea Fox joined the Herald as a senior business journalist in 2018 and specialises in writing about the dairy industry, agribusiness, exporting and the logistics sector and supply chains.