Dive Brief:
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Avocado sales skyrocketed to a projected $1.8 billion in the 2011 to 2015 period, according to a report from Nielsen.
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About half of American households purchased an avocado in the last year, but those who buy them are doing so more often.
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Despite heavy promotion of avocados' health values, their sales have only marginally outpaced other produce categories – but social media could help them gain ground.
Dive Insight:
Avocados have several things working in their favor. Being readily available year-round thanks to both domestic and foreign sources – California and Florida, plus Mexico as well as Central and South America – they are an ever-present reminder of "something good for you" in the produce section.
But if their constant presence isn't enough to attract consumers, Nielsen found that suppliers have been working hard to tell the story of the green fruit. The report states that Avocados by Mexico was responsible for a third of all media spending by fresh produce manufacturers in the U.S.in 2015. And they definitely have a message to spread. As the Food and Drug Administration updates definitions, avocados — which naturally have "good" fats — are now considered "healthy."
But avocados aren't just good for food. They can also be used for cosmetic products, and have been included in soaps, oils and creams since the 1930s.