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Summer is a time of transition for Mexican avocados, and Stephanie Bazan said Avocados From Mexico is helping the market move good volumes of smaller fruit.
Bazan, senior vice president of commercial strategy and execution for Avocados From Mexico, said in late July that Mexican volume was leaning heavily toward small fruit. Avocados From Mexico is supporting various retailers in their promotions of smaller Mexican fruit, she said.
By the fall, Mexican avocado volume will see an increase in its size profile, she said.
With National Avocado Day on July 31, the fall season will bring a focus back to football-related promotions around fresh guacamole, Bazan said.
With pink packaging for bagged fruit, Avocados From Mexico also has a partnership with the Susan G. Komen organization in October. The Susan G. Komen organization raises awareness of screening and early detection of breast cancer, in addition to funding research for a cure.
AMPLE SUPPLY COMING
The fiscal year for Avocados From Mexico runs from July through June. For the 2022-23 fiscal year from July 2022 through June 2023, U.S. importers of Mexican avocados handled a record 2.4 billion pounds.
The estimate for 2023-24 Mexican crop is projected at about 2.7 billion pounds.
In 2022, Mexico accounted for about 57% of total avocado supply in July, increasing to 95% by November. A similar pattern is anticipated this year, Bazan said.
MEXICO AVOCADOS TOPS IN FALL
Mexico has a stronghold on the avocado market in the fall, and Avocados From Mexico will have strong programming in place to support promotions during the fall season.
“The fall period is a very important time for our category,” Bazan said, noting the group will highlight fall promotions tied to football.
“We’re really focused on making sure that we have a very strong start of the season, and making sure that we’re driving that velocity, because that will help the back half of our season,” she said.
Fifty percent of consumers serve avocados during football viewing events, Bazan said. Avocados From Mexico will “hang its hat” on a promotion focus on football games during the fall season, she said.
“We know our consumer is consuming avocados, whether they are tailgating or at their home,” she said. “Avocados are there.”
Avocados From Mexico is solely focused on promoting fresh sales to both retail and foodservice outlets.
“We have a big focus on driving fresh, and [fresh] is still by far the dominant usage,” she said, noting a strong fresh preference for retail and foodservice consumers and operators.
Avocados From Mexico reminds foodservice operators that Mexican avocados are available year-round, Bazan said. In addition, Avocados From Mexico gives operators the education they need on how to manage and handle the fruits.
“We’re working on some fall promotions on the foodservice side as well to help reinforce the usage of 100% fresh on menus,” she said.
A recent poll of consumers reveals that nearly 8 in 10 prefer fresh over processed avocados, she said.
Consumer promotions for Avocados From Mexico are built on the pillars of good times, good taste and “good for you,” Bazan said.
Avocados from Mexico is promoting bag options for Mexican fruit in the fall, including the group’s partnership with the Susan G. Komen organization. That promotion, featuring pink bags identified with Susan G. Komen messaging, will be back again in a big way. Retailers have much love for the Susan G. Komen promotion in October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“We will have displays that will support [October] promotions and social media [messaging] that will be behind it,” Bazan said. “The fact that we’ve gotten behind it in a big way really has reinforced our partnerships with our retailers during this time period.”
In addition to retail and foodservice outlets, Bazan said Avocados From Mexico is in partnership with several retailers to raise the profile of Mexican avocados on online platforms.
“The omnichannel focus is very important to us, because we want to be able to marry up what we’re doing in store with what’s being promoted online,” she said.
