"Welcome aboard!" says our driver, Sam. He turns the ignition and with a grumbling rumble we putter across the tarmac.
The KiwiKart - a succession of trolleys shaped and coloured to resemble giant kiwifruit - would surely raise a few eyebrows anywhere else, but not here at Kiwi 360. Opened in 1987, Kiwi 360 is a working orchard-cum-visitor attraction offering kiwifruit orchard tours, kiwifruit history, a kiwifruit cafe and kiwifruit souvenirs.You've noticed the theme then?
Nestled on the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island, Kiwi360 is just 10 minutes drive from the small town of Te Puke - known as the Kiwifruit Capital of the world - and at the heart of the aptly named Bay of Plenty. An abundance of produce flourishes in this region - macadamias, pistachios, persimmons, oranges, plums, cherries, olives, avocados - even loquats and ugli fruit; but none thrive quite so prolifically as the kiwifruit.
As Sam directs our ride into Kiwi360's lush orchard area, the sugary scent of fruit blossom wafts towards us on the warm air. Before us, an enormous sea of kiwifruit vines sprawls into the poplar-lined distance. Sam stops the kart for a lesson in horticultural success."The reason fruit grows so well here is because of the layers of volcanic ash that lie beneath the ground," he says.
"Also, the high sunshine hours and ample rainfall of the area assist in the growth."
Located on the Taupo volcanic zone, this area was frequently covered by ash and pumice during historic volcanic eruptions. Now compacted into the soil, these layers of soft volcanic matter allow kiwifruit vines to delve uninhibited as deep as necessary to obtain moisture. As a result, the thriving emerald vines that cover this fertile region amazingly require no artificial irrigation.Kiwifruit, or the Chinese Gooseberry as it was originally known, was introduced to New Zealand from China in 1904. Since that time the fuzzy brown fruit has become a national icon and 150 different varieties have been developed.
"Here are some of those varieties," says Sam, indicating a small row of vines boasting plaques with names such as 'Allison', 'Bruno' and 'Gracie' - the growers who developed each type.
Of course, the most successful varieties have been the Hayward Green (your 'typical' brown and green kiwifruit), the Zespri Gold (the less furry, gold-centred variety) and the hairless, bite-sized Arguta or 'Kiwiberry' variety which is now available on New Zealand supermarket shelves.Trundling onwards, we enter the orchard proper. Following well-worn trails we weave between soldier-straight rows of low green vines that march into the distance as far as I can see. Small brown fruit and perfect white flowers dot the tendril-like vines. Bees buzz lazily about.
"There are 3,000 - 4,000 hectares of kiwifruit grown in this area," explains Sam. "Come harvest time, the 1.2million fruit will be picked in just two days."
Although China grows more kiwifruit than anywhere else in the world, none of it is exported. New Zealand is therefore the world's largest kiwifruit supplier, with 80 million trays of kiwifruit exported to 60 or 70 countries each year.
The fruit's popularity with the world could be attributed to its health giving properties. A 1997 Rutgers University study deemed kiwifruit the world's healthiest fruit. More recently, the low fat, high fibre, vitamin and mineral rich, enzyme loaded fruit has been dubbed a 'health super food' (although I'm not sure how many of those health giving properties are present in the kiwifruit liqueur I sample at the gift shop after our tour!).
With the national kiwifruit industry worth $1 billion annually it's no wonder that the humble kiwifruit has been elevated to icon status in New Zealand. Now firmly settled in the ranks of New Zealanders' unique cultural concept of 'Kiwiana', the fuzzy brown fruit sits alongside such esteemed icons as rugby, sheep and hokey pokey ice cream.
"Kiwifruit's up there with the All Blacks," laughs Sam as we pull up at the end of our tour and spy another group of visitors waiting eagerly for their turn in the KiwiKarts. Other visitors are leaving with armfuls of kiwifruit souvenirs - kiwifruit toys, kiwifruit-filled chocolates, kiwifruit wine, and kiwifruit tea towels - while more still are posing in front of the giant kiwifruit slice at the Kiwi360 entrance.
I'm not sure how the All Blacks would feel about being compared to a small hairy fruit, but there's no denying that New Zealand's iconic super food has some serious star status.
Amelia visited Kiwi360 courtesy of Tourism Bay of Plenty and www.fourcorners.co.nz.
