CAC To Share Crop Data, Marketing Plans At PMA Expo

IRVINE, Calif. (September 14, 2010) – The relatively cool summer in Southern California has helped extend the California avocado season this year, and the California Avocado Commission (CAC) is actively promoting the late season fruit while gearing up its plans for 2011. CAC will share the latest avocado category data demonstrating the value of the California season and unveil key aspects of the Commission’s marketing support plans at this year’s PMA Fresh Summit Expo.

“California avocados are on track for outstanding performance in 2010,” said Jan DeLyser, vice president of marketing of CAC. “At retail the most current scan data shows dollar sales were up 10.1 percent for the first nine weeks when California avocados were in distribution versus the prior nine weeks when few California avocados were in the market.” Additionally, foodservice chains have put together remarkable promotions with California avocados throughout the season.

At Fresh Summit, Commission staff also will share information regarding avocado merchandising best practices. The spring through summer holidays, including Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, July 4th and Labor Day, provide excellent opportunities for merchandising avocados. These traditional American celebrations and California avocados make a natural thematic fit. CAC will demonstrate consumers trust in locally grown produce and their desire to support products grown in the U.S. In fact, 61 percent of consumers say it is important that avocados are grown in the U.S.A.

California avocado consumers are particularly active as fans on social media. Earlier this year, CAC launched its Facebook page, which already enjoys more than 45,000 fans. PMA visitors to CAC’s booth #2343 can view a demonstration of the passion consumers show for California avocados in the social media channels. CAC is also very active on Twitter, and will be tweeting live from the PMA show floor in PMA’s official trending topic #freshsummit. Attendees who follow CAC’s tweets during the expo at will have an opportunity to win a Flip® video camera that is small enough to slip into a shirt pocket and great for documenting activities at the convention.

Another opportunity that enhances the PMA experience is the sampling of innovative produce flavors and recipes. Visitors to the Commission booth will have the opportunity to sample some of the category usage-expanding recipe concepts that CAC will be marketing to consumers.

 Popular San Diego-based chef Jeff Rossman will demonstrate two original California avocado recipes: Chicken and Avocado Crepes and California Avocado and Chipotle Steak Salad.

Commission staff also will be on hand to provide a sneak preview of CAC’s plans to build upon the California Avocado grower marketing campaign in 2011, as well as share research insights, national and regional sales data.

 “Avocados grown in California’s ideal coastal climate, nurtured with care by small, multi-generational California family farmers living on and caring for the land, align perfectly with many retailers’ strategic programs,” said DeLyser. “We invite PMA attendees to CAC’s booth to learn how merchandising California avocados can boost retailer avocado sales.”

Source: California Avocado Commission