Avocado demand never faltered through pandemic

Despite the lack of in-person events and other pandemic-related factors that limited marketing efforts, California avocado demand fared well during 2020, said Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing for the Irvine-based California Avocado Commission.

Beginning in March, the commission adapted its marketing efforts to optimize them for the realities of living in a pandemic, she said.

“We switched to other activities that reached our target consumers where they are, which for most of the year was mainly at home,” DeLyser said. 

Communication with customers moved from in-person to virtual as well.

The pandemic showed food, including avocados, was essential, she said.

“California avocado demand continued to grow during the pandemic and our 2020 California Avocado Tracking Study showed big increases in unaided brand and advertising awareness, indicating that our advertising and marketing activities were very effective,” she said.

Desired fruit 

As part of the 2020 tracking study, DeLyser said the commission asked avocado shoppers some questions about COVID-19 and their avocado purchase behaviors. 

While most said they were buying about the same number of avocados during the pandemic, about 20% said they were buying more for two reasons, she said.

The first reason was that shoppers said they were more concerned about health and eating healthfully at that time, and avocados were a healthy choice. The second reason shoppers gave for buying more was that avocados were satisfying and comforting. 

“Health and satisfaction together in a bumpy green package!” DeLyser said.
In terms of a health halo, avocados have a lot going for them, said Hector Soltero, senior director of sales planning for Mission Produce, Oxnard, Calif.

Avocados have 20 vitamins and minerals essential for a daily diet, Soltero said. On top of that, avocados are sugar-free, sodium-free and cholesterol-free. 

“Studies show the nutrients in avocados offer many health benefits, such as lower risk of heart disease and stroke, healthy skin, and improved blood cholesterol levels,” he said. 

“As more of this information becomes available, the consumer (is) becoming more educated on the health profile of avocados.”