The story of the kiwifruit's odyssey began in the early 20th century when New Zealand schoolteacher Isabel Fraser brought Chinese kiwifruit seeds back home. These tiny black seeds traveled across the ocean and, under the careful cultivation of agronomists, eventually became the legendary "national fruit" of New Zealand. A significant portion of these succulent and nutritious fruits, freshly harvested in New Zealand, then made their way back to China.

China's wild kiwifruit has a history dating back over 2,800 years. Renowned Chinese herbalist Li Shizhen mentioned the fruit in his book "Compendium of Materia Medica." In New Zealand, it was named "kiwifruit" due to its resemblance to the country's native kiwi bird, which has brown, fuzzy feathers. Before adopting the name kiwifruit, New Zealanders referred to it as "Chinese gooseberry."

This remarkable return of the kiwifruit is a testament to the enduring agricultural and trade collaboration between the two nations. In 2008, New Zealand became the first developed country to sign a free trade agreement with China, leading to significant tariff reductions on fruit imports from New Zealand. The tariff on kiwifruit, originally 20 percent, was gradually reduced to zero by 2016. The free trade agreement opened doors for enhanced cooperation between businesses in both countries.