MISSION VIEJO, CA – U.S. households celebrated Cinco de Mayo with friends, family, and food, and for many, the celebration would not have been complete without avocados. This year, U.S. retailers set a Cinco de Mayo record for avocado sales, surpassing $54 million for the holiday week. HAB’s recently released Q2 2017 Holiday and Events study shows shoppers were undeterred by high avocado retail prices during the holiday, setting the sales record despite a +32 percent increase in the average price of avocados. This trend was shown across the nation, with all U.S. regions contributing to sales gains. Avocados have become a staple during the holiday, making Cinco de Mayo one of the highest sales weeks of the year.
“Cinco de Mayo broke sales records this year and shows how important the holidays are to the category” says Emiliano Escobedo, executive director of the Hass Avocado Board. “HAB is dedicated to providing category insights to support holiday and event planning for marketers and retailers of avocados.”
In addition to national and regional retail results for Cinco de Mayo, the HAB Q2 2017 Holiday and Events report also covers retail sales performance for Easter and Memorial Day.
Easter week delivered strong growth for the avocado category, with retail dollar sales increasing +26 percent nationally. Rising prices helped propel Easter week dollar sales to a four-year high of $46.2 million, despite a slight dip in volume (units). Shoppers across the country celebrated Easter with avocados, with all regions posting retailer dollar gains for the category.
Kicking off the start of summer, Memorial Day celebrations were a catalyst for growth in the avocado category. Americans paid a premium during the holiday, and retail sales for the holiday week reached a four-year peak at $50 million. Nationally, the category saw a +25 percent increase in dollars, while volume dipped nearly -8 percent to 39 million units. All regions contributed dollar gains during the holiday.
To get more in-depth information about avocado sales for each holiday, visit https://www.hassavocadoboard.com/retail/holidays-events. Sign up here for the Hass Avocado Board’s Hass Insights Newsletters to receive updates on current retail avocado trends delivered straight to your inbox.
About The Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) was established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the United States. The Hass Avocado Board is committed to increasing awareness and providing industry leaders with fresh insights into this vibrant category. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados directs HAB’s promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Hass avocados are grown in California and imported into the U.S. from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic and New Zealand.
Source: Hass Avocado Board
