Peruvian avocados connect to youth, Olympics, organics, cookbook
If the whole point of the Peruvian Avocado Commission is to get more people to eat more avocados from Peru, then promoting the pear-shaped, mild-tasting, buttery fruit is of utmost importance. And that is the point. And Xavier Equihua, commission president and CEO, is all about it.
“What’s driving all the avocado consumption is millennials, gen Xers, and now gen Z. They love the health, the flavor, the versatility, the convenience,” Equihua said. “U.S. consumption should be higher by now, partly because we have a huge young population, and we have the largest Latino community in the world outside of Latin America. We never pay attention to that. Latinos are natural medium-to-heavy consumers of avocados. So that gives us an edge, compared to Europe.”
European countries including Scandinavia, United Kingdom and France are all competitors vying for Peru’s fruit more and more in recent years. Europe’s avocado consumption in 2019-20 was 73% higher compared to 2015-2016, according to the Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries, part of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read related: June is California avocado month
Based in Washington D.C., the Peruvian Avocado Commission, also called Avocados from Peru, has designed several promotions, mostly with major U.S. and Canada retailers.
Promotion highlights include:
✔ TV spots during the Tokyo Olympics on NBC and Telemundo;
✔ A more robust instant rebate coupon program;
✔ Organic avocado promotions;
✔ An educational band for mesh bags; and
✔ A free, downloadable cookbook.
The highest-profile promotion is the exposure retailers will get during the NBC and Telemundo coverage of the 2021 Summer Tokyo Olympic Games in July and August.
As Peru reaches peak avocado shipments, Avocados from Peru will be the only fresh produce association to offer such tactics to retailer partners through TV spots produced by NBC Universal, Equihua said.
The Avocados from Peru NBC and Telemundo broadcast promotions will air in more than 20 major U.S. markets.
Read related: What's up with Peruvian avocado exports?
To give back to consumers during the pandemic in 2020, the commission implemented the instant-rebate coupon program with one retailer — a new promotion for the avocado category. The program’s successful introduction inspired an expanded program for 2021.
The commission will also target some promotions for organic avocados specifically.
“This is the first time that a produce association under a federal promotional program will invest marketing funds in a program for organic avocados,” commission exporter board member Daniel Bustamante of Agricola Cerro Prieto said in a news release. Bustamante produces organic avocados in Peru.
Mexico, California, Chile and Peru all havme avocado commissions, and all fruit coming to the U.S. gets assessed 25 cents a box and that money goes to promoting that country of origin’s fruit, commission importer board member Bob Lucy of Del Rey Avocados said in the release.
Organics are not normally promoted by commodity boards operating under a federal promotion program, as the National Organic Program allows producers, handlers and importers to be exempt from paying assessments associated with commodity promotion activities, Equihua said.
Peru will be the first commission to have its importers agree to not ask for this assessment refund so that money can be used to promote organic avocados from Peru.
Read related: What is your favorite way to eat avocado?
“It’s a pretty inspirational story, not just for avocados, but for all commodities under a federal promotion program,” Equihua said.
In 2021, the commission will introduce another industry innovation: An educational band for mesh bags, in conjunction with several major retailers. The traditional band on the retail pack mesh bag is underutilized real estate that can educate consumers on how to use and ripen avocados. “Sizing is larger for Peruvian fruit, and we have ‘Grande Bags’ available with ‘Know Your Avo’ tips and suggestions,” said Peter Shore, director of business development and marketing at Calavo Growers, Santa Paula, Calif.
Besides useful ripening tips, tricks and trends, Avocados in Bloom’s highly styled, almost avant-garde artistic photography showcases recipes that run the gamut: avocado pancakes and the schnitzel sandwich with truffle to zucchini crisps with avoioli and green gazpacho in mini bread bowls. And let’s not forget dessert: Avocado mousse and tiramisu look and sound tantalizing.
“We don’t want to be just an option or a complementing country for avocados; we want to be recognized because our avocados have good quality and taste excellent,” said commission chairman Jose Antonio Castro of Agrokasa, which grows in Barranca, Lima and Ica in Peru.
Related:
More Peruvian avocados expected in the U.S. to meet demand
Avocados from Peru are coming in strong and sporty
Avocado all day and night
