Avocados From Mexico has launched Avo.ai, which the commodity board bills as the produce industry’s first consumer-facing artificial intelligence answer engine from a major brand. Trained exclusively on AFM’s proprietary culinary and educational database, the tool provides real-time guidance on avocado selection, storage, prep safety and nutrition, which aims to resolve shopper friction directly at avocadosfrommexico.com/avo-ai without the need for third-party searching.
Alvaro Luque, president and CEO of Avocados From Mexico, says one of the biggest barriers to avocado purchases is uncertainty around selecting, storing or using avocados and Avo.ai helps provide trusted guidance to shoppers.
“We see opportunities to integrate the tool throughout the shopping journey, from in-store signage and QR codes to digital commerce experiences, helping consumers feel more confident in their purchase decisions while giving our retail partners another tool to educate shoppers, improve the shopping experience and support continued category growth,” he says.
The Avo.ai rollout comes on the heels of a record-breaking import season, with Mexican avocado shipments to the U.S. reaching 2.76 billion pounds. As supply scales, Luque says AFM is leveraging digital utilities to keep pace with evolving consumer expectations.
“At Avocados From Mexico, we’re always looking for new ways to innovate and connect with consumers. Avo.ai is an extension of that mindset, providing real utility by helping shoppers get immediate, personalized answers while building confidence in the category over time,” he says.
Driving Basket Building and In-Store Conversions
Addressing the fragmentation of online food advice, Luque noted that general search results often yield inconsistent preparation and storage advice.
“By developing our own custom answer engine, we’re able to provide trusted, expert-backed guidance that’s grounded in years of consumer education, culinary expertise and category knowledge,” he says. “Our goal is to become the most reliable resource for avocado questions while continuing to explore the opportunities that answer engine optimization creates for the future.”
Luque says Avo.ai’s focus on safe preparation was “very intentional” to put an end to “avocado hand,” noting safe preparation has been a long focus for AFM, which then carries into Avo.ai.
“By providing trusted, step-by-step guidance, we’re helping consumers build confidence in the kitchen while encouraging proper preparation techniques,” he says. “If we can help reduce ‘avocado hand’ along the way, that’s certainly a win for everyone.”
Beyond safety, Luque says Avo.ai addresses postpurchase food waste by educating shoppers on ripening management and preservation techniques.
“When shoppers know how to choose the right fruit, manage the ripening process and keep avocados fresh longer, they feel more confident buying multiple avocados without worrying they will spoil before they are used,” Luque says. “That creates a better consumer experience while supporting long-term category growth.”
Crucially for trade partners, Luque says Avo.ai serves as a real-time data capture tool, offering AFM visibility into active consumer queries, emerging recipe trends and common friction points.
“Those insights can help inform future educational content while also helping identify emerging recipe trends, merchandising opportunities and common shopper questions,” he says. “Over time, we see those learnings creating additional value for our retail partners as they continue to evolve how they merchandise and promote the category.”
