China has become the largest global market for New Zealand miniature apple brand Rockit, accounting for more than half of the brand’s total revenue, according to Global CEO Grant McBeath in an exclusive interview with China Daily. New Zealand dominates approximately 81 percent of China’s apple import market, which reached RMB 1.84 billion in 2025, a 24 percent year-on-year increase. Rockit alone accounts for about one-third of New Zealand’s apple exports to China.

The brand has launched its largest-ever brand upgrade in China, opening a limited-time immersive pop-up store on Shanghai’s Yuyuan Road and appointing popular idol Wang Yibo as global brand ambassador. Rockit has established partnerships with leading Chinese fruit retailers including Pagoda, Goodfarmer, and Fruitday, with over 20,000 distribution stores nationwide.

新西兰迷你苹果品牌Rockit全球CEO Grant McBeath在接受中国日报专访时透露，中国已成为Rockit全球最大市场，占品牌总收入超过一半。新西兰占中国苹果进口市场约81%份额，2025年中国苹果进口额达18.4亿元人民币，同比增长24%。Rockit单独占新西兰对华苹果出口约三分之一。品牌在中国启动了史上最大规模的品牌升级，在上海愚园路开设限时沉浸式快闪店，并宣布人气偶像王一博为全球品牌大使。Rockit已与百果园、好农夫、鲜果说等中国领先水果零售商建立合作，全国分销门店超过20000家。

Rockit’s success in China offers a compelling case study for NZ premium food brands. The brand has achieved remarkable market penetration by combining a genuinely differentiated product with sophisticated local marketing, including celebrity endorsement and experiential retail. The 24 percent growth in China’s apple imports and NZ’s 81 percent market share demonstrate the strong foundation.

However, the reliance on a single celebrity ambassador and the competitive threat from other premium fruit brands warrant strategic attention. NZ food brands seeking to enter or expand in China should study Rockit’s approach: premium product positioning, deep retail partnerships, and locally-relevant brand building through both digital and physical channels.

Rockit在中国的成功为新西兰高端食品品牌提供了引人注目的案例研究。该品牌通过将真正差异化的产品与精细的本地营销相结合，包括明星代言和体验式零售，实现了显著的市场渗透。中国苹果进口24%的增长和新西兰81%的市场份额展示了坚实的基础。然而，对单一明星代言人的依赖和其他高端水果品牌的竞争威胁需要战略关注。寻求进入或扩大中国市场的新西兰食品品牌应研究Rockit的方法：高端产品定位、深度零售合作，以及通过数字和实体渠道进行本地化品牌建设。

Photo by AI on MiDeer Observer

Source: China Daily

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