Te Puke's going to have another big slice of kiwifruit, this time in the town's main street, in addition to the giant kiwifruit slice at Kiwifruit Country at Rangiuru.

The latest giant kiwifruit structure will be gold and green slices of kiwifruit leaning against each other outside the former railway station.

A giant kiwifruit structure will be placed in the town's main centre. Photo: Supplied.

The slices will be linked to a new retail store selling kiwifruit products, souvenirs and excursion tickets for kiwifruit tours at the station complex, says Te Puke Economic Development group spokesman Mark Boyle.

'The timing is perfect,” says Mark. 'A number of factors make the plan feasible. The town centre will soon be upgraded with improved aesthetics and functionality.”

The newly named Te Puke Highway offers an opportunity to attract visitors to Te Puke township, says Mark.

'Our local retailers are now very well organised to promote their products and services and our Community Board are very supportive of initiatives to take the town forward.”

The EDG has a firm expression of interest from an experienced retailer to set up a specialist kiwifruit shop in the township.

The kiwifruit icon will be very prominent and an attractor for photographs and information about Te Puke, the kiwifruit industry and the broad range of activity in the district that has given Te Puke international prominence.

'Linking this to kiwifruit orchard tours will lift visitor spend, help our retailers and generally promote our value proposition of goodness grows here with the township as the kiwifruit capital of the world,” says Mark.

'The concept is made possible by the enthusiastic support of the operator of the railway station complex, Henry Phillips. He has offered to provide space to locate the icon and he will support a new retail operation with commercially acceptable lease terms. We thank him for his input and support and we are delighted he shares our vision.”

The project will need the support of council for consents, and various other stakeholders, says Mark.

'We are very confident that the kiwifruit industry, business and the community at large will support the concept.”