Kiwifruit exports exceeded the amount consumed domestically. Outside of Australasia, New Zealand kiwifruits are marketed under the brand-name label, Zespri. In the 1980s, countries outside New Zealand began to export kiwifruit. In Italy, the infrastructure and techniques required to support grape production were adapted to the kiwifruit. This, coupled with being close to the European kiwifruit market, led to Italians becoming the leading producer of kiwifruit in 1989. The growing season of Italian kiwifruit does not overlap much with the New Zealand or the Chilean growing seasons, therefore direct competition between New Zealand or Chile was not a significant factor. In
Frieda's Inc. which were a specialty item in those days. After the success of selling mushrooms, Caplan opened her own company in 1962 with mushrooms as the primary item. She started with a small stand at the Los Angeles wholesale produce market. Once titled the “Queen of Kiwi,” Caplan gained international recognition from bringing the Kiwifruit to the United States. This fruit was discovered in New Zealand and originally known as "Chinese gooseberries". Caplan renamed this fruit after the country's flightless bird, the Kiwi. She convinced California growers to plant the fruit and soon California had more than 700 Kiwifruit growers. Caplan's