MISSION VIEJO, CA – Hass Avocados scored another touchdown the week of the Big Game, which ranks among the biggest avocado weeks of the year. This year continued the tradition with volume reaching over 66 million units—a four-year high. Valentine’s Day followed suit with dollar sales reaching $48.1 million and another record four-year high. St. Patrick’s Day peaked with record dollar sales and volume at $62.5 million and 52.1 units. The three holidays reached a total of $169 million to start the new year.
The Big Game is a festival of flavors with avocados front and center when consumers aren’t watching football. Nationally, Big Game dollar sales increased +3% vs. prior year to $58.4 million while volume increased +2% to a high of 66.6 million units. California led the regions in the number of units sold per store while the West and South Central regions exceeded the national average.
Valentine’s Day has been a highlight for avocado sales during February’s American Heart Month, with dollar sales reaching a four-year high at $48.1 million. Heart health is one of the four health pillars that drive HAB’s Nutrition Research Program. Following this initiative, HAB promoted a new cookbook “Fresh Swaps for the Heart: Featuring Fresh Avocados.” The cookbook includes heart-healthy recipe makeovers as well as meals under 500 calories and vegetarian dishes. Limited prints were available for health professionals while the digital version is available for consumers to download.
St. Patrick Day delivered particularly strong avocado sales growth of +$12.8 million, an increase of +26 percent vs. prior year. All eight regions contributed to Total U.S. dollar growth with South Central posting the highest incremental dollar sales at +$2.9 million. Dollar sales were lifted by an increase in average prices, which increased +24 percent for St. Patrick’s Day week. This same week also marked the start of stay-at-home orders across the U.S. due to the pandemic and consumers were stocking up on food and other necessities.
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Holiday Retail Recap
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| The three key Q1 holidays, including the Big Game, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, reached a total of $169 million in retail sales, an increase of +$18.3 million from last year. Learn more by reading the 2020 Avocado Holiday Retail Recap. |
The Hass Avocado Board releases a holiday recap each quarter, covering avocado sales trends for the corresponding holidays and events. The reports provide the industry with up-to-date holiday insights to assist marketers and retailers with planning for next year’s holiday store promotions. HAB offers these insights and detailed retail information as the only avocado organization that equips the entire industry for success, with clear and actionable data and metrics that all can use to drive their avocado business. For more information about avocado sales for each holiday, visit hassavocadoboard.com/retail.
About The Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) exists to help make avocados America’s most popular fruit. HAB is the only avocado organization that equips the entire global industry for success by collecting, focusing and distributing investments to maintain and expand demand for avocados in the United States. HAB provides the industry with consolidated supply and market data, conducts nutrition research, educates health professionals, and brings people together from all corners of the industry to collectively work towards growth that benefits everyone. The organization also collects and reallocates funds to California and importer associations to benefit specific countries of origin in promoting their avocado brands to customers and consumers across the United States.
