IRVINE, Calif. – The California Avocado Commission (CAC) recently promoted June as California Avocado Month through comprehensive public relations outreach and partnerships with noted chefs in eleven markets across the country. The activity was recognized in Washington D.C. on June 13, when the congresswoman from California’s 26th district, Julia Brownley, addressed Congress about California Avocado Month. She noted that avocados are one of California’s most important agricultural assets and that California avocado growers are “true stewards of the land.” Brownley also stated that she looked forward to working with her colleagues to “further strengthen this important economic driver for California and for our country.”
Chef partners in cities throughout the country supported California Avocado Month by featuring California avocado-centric dishes in their respective restaurants, incorporating them into tastings at events and promoting the fruit through their social media channels. CAC used targeted media relations to secure story placements leading up to and during promotions in markets with participating chefs, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego and San Francisco.
“California Avocado Commission marketing activities were on a roll in June in support of California Avocado Month and this season’s forecasted 505 million pound crop,” said Jan DeLyser, CAC vice president of marketing. “Our public relations efforts around California Avocado Month delivered more than 7.9 million impressions in June alone.”
The Commission distributed a consumer press release to national and regional print, online and broadcast outlets that featured recipes developed by two chef partners and promoted California Avocado Month. Chef Erik Tanaka, co-executive chef for Tom Douglas restaurants in Seattle created a recipe for Grilled Chorizo Sandwiches with Shaved Fennel and California Avocado. Chef Lisa Schroeder, the executive chef and owner of one of Portland’s most popular restaurants, Mother’s Bistro & Bar added diced avocados to one of her restaurant staples, macaroni and cheese, for her California Avocado, Bacon & Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese recipe. During the week of June 24, chef Schroeder also featured California avocados in her restaurant with a “California Avocado Week Special Menu” that celebrated the height of California avocado season and included five California avocado-centric menu items.
“Partnering with notable chefs provides value because the chefs demonstrate the premium quality of California avocados and encourage usage ideas that promote avocado consumption for both foodservice and retail channels,” said DeLyser.CAC also worked with chef Trey Foshee of George’s at the Cove in La Jolla, Calif., who featured tacos with California avocados at LA Weekly’s Tacolandia event on June 23. Chefs in other markets, including Bruce Auden (San Antonio, Texas) and Mike and Molly Fagnoni (Granite Bay, Calif.), featured California avocado dishes on their seasonal menus for the entire month of June.
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 5,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry. For nutrition information and recipes visit CaliforniaAvocado.com, or join us on Facebook at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and @CA_Avocados on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for updates.
Source: California Avocado Commission
