Avocado unit sales surge 20% during St. Patrick’s Day promotions

Avocado volume during St. Patrick’s Day promotions this year grew by 20% and added more than 7.4 million units to the category compared with a year ago, the Hass Avocado Board reports.

In addition, the retail report also details the dollar sales, volume and average sale price for hass avocados during the weeks of the Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, according to a news release. (The Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day fell during the same week this year, the release said.)

The retail recap said sales volume and retail dollar sales reached 51.9 million units and $52.2 million during the dual holiday week of the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day and 45.1 million units and $45.4 million during the St. Patrick’s Day period.

Avocado dollar sales during the dual holidays reached $52.2 million, lower than the prior year due in part to a lower average sale price of $1.01 per unit. Compared with 2020, the dual-event period grew by more than 3% in dollar sales, the release said.

Similarly, avocado unit sales remained relatively flat at 51.9 million units during the dual-event week compared to the prior year.

For the dual Super Bowl/Valentine’s Day week, the Plains region showed the highest volume growth for the holiday week, posting an increase of better than 15% in unit sales compared with the prior year. The West, mid-South, South Central and Southeast regions also posted unit gains for the dual holiday week.

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Nationally, avocado retailers saw average weekly sales of $1,385 and 1,375 units per store during the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day week, the release said. Per store, sales and units were highest in the West.

Extra-large avocado units were up by 58% during the dual holiday week, the release said. Together, large and extra-large PLUs contributed an additional 4.6 million units to the category compared with 2022, according to the release.

St. Patrick’s Day success

Avocado unit sales during St. Patrick’s Day weeks rose to 45.1 million units, up 20% compared with 2022.

Avocado dollars decreased by 15% to $45.4 million during the holiday week compared with the previous year, while the total U.S. avocado average selling price fell 29% to $1.01 per unit.

All regions contributed to the unit growth of avocados, which was 7.4 million units more than year-ago levels. The Great Lakes region contributed 40% at 1.6 million units to the category, the release said.

Bagged avocados made up 29% of category units during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, according to the release. Large, extra-large, and bagged avocados posted double-digit unit growth for the holiday.

For more information about avocado sales for each holiday, visit hassavocadoboard.com.