The Peruvian Hass Avocado Producers’ Association (ProHass) has revealed to Americafruit and Eurofruit that it will heavily in promotions across Europe and the US this year.
General manager Arturo Medina explained that US$1m (over €780,000) will be funnelled into marketing activities in the industry’s main European destinations alone – France, Germany and the UK.
In addition, the association’s sister organisation, the Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC), will manage a similar budget for the promotion of the Hass avocado category in the US in a bid to strengthen Peru’s position as a country of origin, according to PAC chairman Enrique Camet.
European consumers will be educated primarily about the versatility and health benefits of avocados through easy everyday recipes, on-pack information, in-store promotions and sampling, consumer advertising and cookery workshops, as well as via social media and PR activities.
PAC, meanwhile, is planning a smaller marketing campaign under the Monumental Taste strapline to mark Peru’s second year of full season access in the US for untreated fruit, which will primarily target the retail trade in certain US markets.
The second year of promotions is likely to again include billboard and radio advertising as well as specific public relation tactics to promote the nutritional benefit of avocados and continue to build awareness of Peru as a country of origin.
ProHass predicts that Peru’s total Hass exports to all markets will rise by 30 per cent to 95,000 tonnes in 2013 due mainly to new orchards coming into production.
Of that total, 60,000 tonnes should be distributed in Europe, the group said, while the US market can expect to see a doubling in Hass avocado arrivals from Peru this summer.
According to PAC, volume for the US is forecast to reach 25,000-30,000 tonnes, compared with just under 16,000 tonnes last year when Peru enjoyed its first season-long programme of untreated fruit to the US under a new protocol.
Currently, Peru’s main export markets are Europe (which absorbs 50-60 per cent of the annual volume) and the US (35-40 per cent), with Asia and Latin America making up the balance.
But as Peru’s avocado output rises year-on-year, ProHass and its member suppliers are pushing for access in other countries, such as Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, in order to divide the volume intelligently throughout the world.
