Chicago-based Hazel Technologies is teaming up with Sysco and Avocados From Mexico for a second year to help preserve the quality of fruit in the direct-to-consumer Gametime Guac Box meal kit.
The Gametime Guac Box is a do-it-yourself guacamole-from-scratch kit that contains all the ingredients needed for a restaurant-quality outcome at home, showcasing hass avocados and a recipe playbook, according to a news release. Added to the box of fruits and vegetables is one Hazel 100 packet — technology engineered to slow the ripening process and maintain flavor, color and firmness in avocados, tomatoes and limes, the release said.
Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year for avocado consumption in the U.S., the release said. Game day consumption of avocados has skyrocketed from 8 million pounds in 2000 to 105 million in 2022.
For the last three years, Sysco and Avocados From Mexico have done their part to make guacamole at game time a highlight, and adding Hazel has only made the experience better, according to the release.
“We were truly impressed with the impact Hazel 100 had on our Gametime Boxes in 2022,” Julie Olivarria, vice president of produce for Sysco, said in the release. “Bringing our consumers a premium eating experience is one of Sysco’s many objectives, and Hazel is helping us achieve that goal. Being able to keep sustainability at the forefront of our Gametime Guac Box campaign while providing high-quality produce in the process is a win-win in our book.”
Alison Snowden, foodservice sales manager for Avocados From Mexico, said in the release that the group’s strong marketing program, Sysco’s active customer base and Hazel’s quality technology is a winning combination for the 2023 campaign.
“The Big Game is the #1 guacamole occasion of the year, and the right ripeness is essential to making this delicious dip at home,” Snowden said in the release.
