History of the fruit
Century Farms
The Wilkins family settled in Pongakawa in 1892 at Warwick Farm. Initially they farmed pigs and cropped. Over the years this has transitioned to dairy farming and kiwifruit since the 1980’s. Back then communal harvesting took place with neighbours helping pick each others orchards.
Extended Wilkins family celebrating at Century Farm Awards (2023)
1986
Jan Wilkins discovered a sport of green kiwifruit (showing noticeable difference in morphology) on one of their orchards in 1986. The difference was distinctive which sparked the idea to grow more of this fruit to see how it would perform.
Marcus and Jan planted the Wilkins variety on their family orchard in 1986.
The Wilkins were granted a plant variety right in 1988, which we believe was the first kiwifruit patent in the world. This was shortly before the kiwifruit industry in New Zealand was regulated and an export ban imposed which prevented Marcus and Jan from commercialising the variety.
Marcus and Jan Wilkins (1989)
2013
Seeka Ltd (one of New Zealand’s largest post-harvest operators) approached the Wilkins in 2013 with a proposal for a collaborative marketing programme which is a system provided for under the Kiwifruit export regulations. The programme successfully marketed the Wilkins conventionally grown kiwifruit at a premium under the Seeka brand through Dole in China for four years. A decision was made by Seeka to discontinue this programme in 2017 due to difficulties complying with the requirements of Kiwifruit NZ (the industry regulator) at the time.
Dole stand in China 2016
2019
Organic horticulture is on the rise due to increased consumer demand for spray-free food produced with environmental wellbeing in mind. The Wilkins support the principles of regenerative agriculture and organic practices, having BioGro (New Zealand) certification for the 8 hectares of organic Wilkins kiwifruit we have planted since 2020.
Anna Wilkins vine training in the organic development block (2021).