Industry News: Avocados beat Bananas

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_

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