Avocados beat bananas in Australian
supermarkets
In recent years there has been a huge increase in volumes
of avocados grown in Australia, this had been driven by large
investment in marketing the health benefits of the fruit.
“The marketing campaign has increased awareness of the
avocado at a consumer level by building a connection with
the product,” explains Anthony Allen, CEO of the Avolution.
“This has been done by linking popular products, such as
the well known Aussie favourite Vegemite, with the avocado,
by featuring it on the jars. The big muti-nationals such
as McDonald, Subway and Burger King have also been
promoting the avocado. These big brands are interested
because the Australian avocado industry has positioned the
product well, and others want to be associated with it.”
The Avolution is a marketing company established to provide
avocado and lychee growers with quality service and solid
financial returns. They support a group of 100 growers
supplying around 2 million, 5.5kg trays each year.
“Two weeks out of four avocados will be ahead of bananas
on square meter returns in the supermarkets. Bananas
by far beat avocados by volume, but the avocado wins in
returns per meter every time, the fact that banana prices are
also quite low contributes.” The avocado is one of the more
expensive fruits on the shelf, but consumers are willing to
pay for it according to Allen. “People have built them into
their cuisine and lifestyle and understand the health, taste
and versatility of the product. There is no other fruit you can
work into every meal from breakfast to supper.”
Avocados are grown throughout Australia and in Tasmania,
giving a year round supply from the far north right down to
Victoria and WA.
The company exports to Singapore and Malaysia, which still
have great potential. Next on the radar are China and India.
Australia does not yet have access to these markets but
Allen said it wasn’t far away.
The Avolution produces around 20% of the 10 million trays
produced in Australia, which they intend to increase to a third
(3.3 million trays) in the next few years. The main variety
grown in Australia is the Hass with 80%, there is also some
Shepherd, a very typical Australian variety which grows well
in the Australian climate.
Source: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/149846/Avocados-beatbananas-
in-Australian-supermarkets?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_
medium=ed5&utm_source=s1