Posts Tagged “California Avocado Commission”
By California Avocado Commission
IRVINE, Calif. – The avocado industry estimates that 123 million pounds of Hass avocados will be shipped for the for Memorial Day weekend activities, which surpasses the volume for Cinco de Mayo this year. It is prime season for California avocados, and the California Avocado Commission (CAC) has put together its sixth annual program supporting avocado sales for American summer holidays, with a strong push on the start of the season.
“Memorial Day continues to be a sweet spot for California avocado merchandising activity,” said Jan DeLyser, CAC vice president marketing. “For the targeted retailers who carry California avocados, the timing of Memorial Day and crop availability plus California’s origin create a golden opportunity for thematic marketing.”
For 2017 CAC developed a promotional theme, “United Plates of America”, with the intent to make California avocados synonymous with the key American summer holidays by highlighting their origin and ability to make recipes and get-togethers even more special.
The Commission created a United Plates of America retail recipe booklet that includes 18 recipes and tips pairing California avocados with “plates” from the USA, particularly from California and Western states. The booklet is available to retailers who merchandise California avocados. Other CAC retail programs for Memorial Day and summer holidays include demos, point-of-sale material and display bins.
CAC’s advertising support includes in-store radio and Pandora radio targeted to where California avocados are in distribution. Online advertising, social media and consumer public relations outreach showcase recipes that fit the United Plates of America theme, including recipes from custom content providers. In addition, CAC will send out email blasts to its fans and create Memorial Day and Fourth of July blog posts that encourage usage of California avocados for summertime picnics and parties.
The California avocado harvesting and distribution is well underway and is anticipated to be strong through Fourth of July. This year’s crop forecast is on track to hit 200 million pounds.
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s nearly 4,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.
By California Avocado Commission
IRVINE, Calif. – Despite some consumer media stories stating that California had a short avocado crop in 2016, the California Avocado Commission (CAC) reported that last year’s harvest was above average in volume at 401.4 million pounds. It also delivered the third highest California avocado crop value on record. However, for 2017 a smaller California avocado volume forecast will mean a tighter window for supply and shipments.
“The California avocado harvest for 2017 is projected to be around 225 million pounds, and sizing of the fruit on the trees is looking very good now,” said Rick Shade, California Avocado Commission chairman. “CAC representatives and I have been out in groves in the various California avocado growing regions, and early sampling of the crop confirms the quality should be excellent this year.”
Shade has plenty of experience to be a good judge of avocado quality. A California avocado grower for more than 35 years, he learned the business from his grandfather. Shade served as CAC chairman of from late 2007 to late 2009, and was elected chairman again in November 2016. He explained that California avocados are an alternate bearing crop. Often, but not always, a larger crop one year is followed by a smaller crop the next season, which seems to be the case for 2017. Other factors contributing to a smaller 2017 California avocado crop estimate are weather-related events from 2016, and vary by region.
“The recent rains in California are good for this year’s crop as well as for next year’s,” said Shade. “We’re evaluating what the rain will mean in terms of harvest timing. While some California avocados are already in distribution in a few local chains, in general it looks like a ramp up of harvesting in mid to late spring.”
About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s nearly 4,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.
Southern California citrus – grossing about $5300 to New York City.