Tacos, anyone? Avocados From Mexico wants consumers to remember the guacamole

Avocado toast has earned breakfast-of-champions status for millennials but, surprisingly, avocados won’t be found on most American’s tacos.

As a native Texan, raised on a steady diet of pico, guacamole, chips and tacos, it was surprising for The Packer's Kristin Leigh Lore to learn that while tacos are the most popular Mexican food in the U.S., most eaters only include avocados on their tacos a small fraction of the time – less than 2% of all tacos, to be exact.

This fall, Avocados From Mexico is working to make sure avocado’s fiery twin, guacamole, isn’t stuck on the sidelines. As a part of its new “Guac N’ Tacos” shopper program, running from National Guacamole Day, Sept. 5, through National Taco Day, Oct. 9, AFM shares festive guacamole inspiration with taco-loving shoppers through in-store and digital activations.

AFM’s digital engagement even includes a month long, cross-country road trip with chef Pati Jinich, where she uncovers regionally inspired tacos and guacamole pairings along with her favorite recipes, ranging from classic taco and guacamole favorites to inventive spins on the pairing, according to the press release.

The Packer recently met with AFM’s Vice President of Shopper and Trade Marketing and Packer 25 2021 recipient Stephanie Bazan to learn more about avocados and how she plans to celebrate National Guacamole Day.

How do you plan on celebrating National Guacamole Day on Sept. 16? 

Bazan: I plan on celebrating with friends and family, and of course Guac 'N Tacos! 

Which taco and guacamole combination are you most excited about on AFM's taco truck tour?  

There are so many to choose from, but I’d say I’m most excited about the Avo Lobster Roll Tacos from Boston — no other pair can compare to avocado chunks and lobster in a taco!

What’s one surprising fact about avocados that our readers might not already know? 

They are truly a super food. Avocados From Mexico contribute good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals to your diet — and they taste great which is #alwaysgood. Additionally, speeding up the ripening process of an avocado is actually very simple. If you have a super hard and unripe avocado, an incredibly easy way to quickly ripen it is to place it in an enclosed brown paper bag for up 1-3 days, and just like that, you’ll have yourself a ready-to-eat avocado. 

What is your favorite avocado growing region and what makes it so unique? 

The Michoacán region meets the ideal conditions for producing and harvesting the freshest avocados year-round, with its rich volcanic soil, natural irrigation, and unique topography. Now, combined with Jalisco’s summer crop, the opportunity for high-quality Mexican avocados to reach U.S. consumers’ table will be even stronger.

What is your favorite taco and guacamole pairing? 

There are so many great combinations of guac and tacos, it’s hard to decide. If I had to pick just one, it would be a classic guac piled high on top of traditional Chicken Al Pastor Tacos — the perfect pairing of the cilantro/lime from the guac with the citrusy, savory sweetness of the tacos. And to make the tacos even better, I’ll pair them with an AvoRita (Avocado Margarita). 

You can find out more about the month-long tour and all the Guac N’ Taco stops by visiting https://avocadosfrommexico.com/tacos/. Learn more about Stephanie Bazan in our 2021 Packer 25 profile.