Fog Creek Software
Discussion Board

Kiwis and Kiwi Fruits

A "kiwi" is one of two things:

1) A kiwi is a person, who like myself, was born in New Zealand.

2) A kiwi is a flightless bird native to New Zealand, typically brown and about 30cm high.

There is no fruit you can eat called "Kiwi". It is "Kiwi fruit"! Got it?

Herr Herr
Saturday, June 5, 2004

I've been using Kiwi to describe the fruit for so long it's going to be hard to change now.

Saturday, June 5, 2004

Yeah, and 'orange' is a colour. The thing you eat should be called an 'orange fruit'.

Jeez, what difference does it make?

Saturday, June 5, 2004

Kiwis ARE fruits, in all meanings of the word...

Saturday, June 5, 2004

No, you see the problem is that "kiwi" is ambiguous - it can either refer to kiwi fruits or New Zealanders. See, one is a small, hairy fruit, and the other grows on trees...


Saturday, June 5, 2004

In the US vernacular, a "kiwi" is a fruit. I hadn't heard the definition of "kiwi" as someone from New Zealand until I met a Kiwi in grad school. And she was also annoyed at people saying "kiwi" when referring to a fruit.

Saturday, June 5, 2004

An Enzedder was counting his sheep.

"195, 196, 197, Hi honey, 198, 199..."

Saturday, June 5, 2004

Yeah! I'm one too.

Saturday, June 5, 2004

So would a homosexual Kiwi also be a Kiwi Fruit?

Saturday, June 5, 2004

If you Kiwis don't like the name we in the States use for Chinese Gooseberries, you really have no one to blame but your own agricultural industry:

Dennis Atkins
Saturday, June 5, 2004

Actually, the Kiwi appellation is a marketing triumph.  Kiwis were originally called "mouse apples."  To no great surprise, it was decided when creating the export strategy to come up with a more appealing moniker.


Rick Chapman
Saturday, June 5, 2004

Let's not even bring up this UK company's marketing disaster ( http://www.mrbrainsfaggpts/com/faggot_family.htm ) when they tried to introduce their product to the American market.

Saturday, June 5, 2004

...and my typing disaster, change that to an o and a dot...

Saturday, June 5, 2004

> So would a homosexual Kiwi also be a Kiwi Fruit?

No. That would be just sheep.

Saturday, June 5, 2004


Ah, yes, just as "Patagonian toothfish" became the more savory "Chilean sea bass"...

John C.
Saturday, June 5, 2004

Actually, you're all wrong. It's Kiwifruit - one word.

"Kiwifruit (then known as "Chinese Gooseberries" or "Yang Tao") plants were first exported to the United States in 1904, but it wasn't until 1935 that agricultural testing of the berries began."

"New Zealand was already exporting kiwifruit to the U.S. while Heinke and Tanimoto were planting the vines. New Zealand kiwifruit was first served at Trader Vic's in San Francisco in 1961."

"The history of the kiwifruit began in the Chang Kiang Valley of China. Called Yang Tao, it was considered a delicacy by the great Khans who relished the fruit's brilliant flavor and emerald-green color."


"Yang Tao" (a.k.a Chinese Gooseberry, a.k.a kiwifruit) are exported to the United States.

Agricultural propagation of kiwifruit begins in the United States.

First "Commercial" kiwifruit vineyards (nine vines) planted in California.

West Coast produce dealer Frieda Caplan begins importing kiwifruit from New Zealand.

An Oregon retailer, specializing in exotic fruit, places first U.S. retail order.

A Gridley, Calif., grower establishes a nursery to cultivate domestic kiwifruit seeds.

Vines are transferred from the nursery and planted on an acre of land.

Harvest yields 170 tray and tray equivalents of California kiwifruit.

Kiwifruit Growers of California (KGC) is formed.

California Kiwifruit Commission (CKC) established.

International Kiwifruit Organization (IKO) is formed. Current membership: United States, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, France, Italy and Japan.

The Packer rates kiwifruit "hot produce item of the year."

(excerpts from from )
Saturday, June 5, 2004

And this is what the Internet was created for?

Nobody has a life anymore! We have the entire history of kiwi<contested space>fruit at our finger tips but never talk to the guy next door.


Saturday, June 5, 2004

That's not true. I spoke to the fellow next door just today. He said he didn't have any problem with Kiwi Fruits, as long as they weren't trying to date his son.

Clay Dowling
Saturday, June 5, 2004

The guy next door is a kiwi fruit.

You _had_ to know that was coming.

Mr. E. Lurker
Sunday, June 6, 2004

And if any of you folks actually had a Kiwi girlfriend or wife, then you wouldn't be on this discussion board, but you would be lying on your bed (or somewhere), wondering how you got to be so lucky and how long will it take for you to be ready again...

And, before you ask, she's out of town, visiting family, and I am going out of my mind...

Sunday, June 6, 2004

Hey, is that my sister/niece/cousin you are talking about?

Herr Herr
Sunday, June 6, 2004

It comes from China and the world's biggest producer is Italy, so why Kiwi fruit...

Monday, June 7, 2004

After reading this post (and in no way criticizing any of the posters) I wondered, "Why are  New Zealanders called Kiwis?"

Monday, June 7, 2004

'cause of the bird.

Monday, June 7, 2004

So then people from the U.S. are Baldies? or Eagles?  I still want to know why the people are Kiwis.

Monday, June 7, 2004

From memory, and New Zealanders will HATE to know this - the name came from Australian troops in World War I. I'm sure I saw something about this recently, I was in Australia on ANZAC Day so I'm not sure if it was on TV in New Zealand or in Australia.

Re: calling the fruit kiwi, there's a line in a Sugarcubes song that goes "Bite the kiwi" and I'm sure they're not referring to the bird (or suggesting cannibalism).

Walter Rumsby
Tuesday, June 8, 2004

This link - - a First World War glossary backs up what I was hazily remembering re: New Zealanders being called Kiwis.

Walter Rumsby
Tuesday, June 8, 2004

*  Recent Topics

*  Fog Creek Home