West Pak Avocados Inc., has ramped up its Murrieta, Calif.-based packing, ripening and distribution center for the 2022 California season, said Doug Meyer, vice president of sales and marketing.
The company has added ripening and bagging capacity and integrated a high-capacity Apeel application line into its high-tech packing line.
West Pak’s volume will be up again this season, he said, and the California crop is high quality and consistent with past years.
“We expect a lower percentage of No. 2 fruit than we experience with other origins,” he said.
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“Our California growers are really hands-on with their crops and have best-in-industry grove management programs to monitor pests, tree health and nutrition and irrigation,” Meyer said.
He expects hass avocado prices to be higher than last year.
“High demand for California’s premium crop and lower estimated tonnage of the remaining Mexican crop are the two primary factors,” he said.
Bagged avocados were “the star of the category” in 2021, as bag sales increased almost 28%, he said. Growth is expected to continue this year.
“Specifically for our California bag programs, we offer California Gold bag packaging, which highlights the premium aspects of California avocados, including quality, freshness, flavor and versatility,” Meyer said.
