Even though "kiwi" is slang for someone from New Zealand, the kiwi fruit is actually native to China. It's been so important to Chinese culture, in fact, that it is still the country's national fruit. The fruit was first introduced into New Zealand in the early 1900's. Although the Chinese name is "yang tao", New Zealanders soon dubbed the fruit "Chinese gooseberry".When U.S. importer Norman Sondag decided to market the fruits in the United States, he wanted a new name so that he wouldn't have to pay the high tariffs then in place for berries. Kiwifruit was suggested by New Zealand grower jack Turner, inspired by the brown furry-looking natural bird of New Zealand. So there you have it. The story of the kiwi fruit.
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