The US-based Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) has held biennial elections at the organisation’s annual meeting in Irvine, California.
During the reunion on 16 March, a new Board of Directors was sworn in under incoming chairman Adrian Iturbide, according to a press release from MHAIA.
Mr Iturbide is joined by fellow officers: Giovanni Cavaletto, vice-chairman; Alfredo Rodriguez, secretary; Ed Figueroa, treasurer; and directors Francisco Falconi, Mike Browne, Antonio Villasenor, and Jimmy Lotufo.
Alternate board members include Martin Mendoza, Doug Meyers, Sergio Paz, Javier Medina, Carlos Genel, Ricardo Vega, Phil Henry and Javier Campo.
“Consumer demand continues to grow for avocados at an amazing rate and it is great to see how much the category has developed in the past few years,” said Mr Iturbide.
Mexico continues to be the number one supplier of avocados in the US market.
The new board said it is committed to enhancing MHAIA’s existing marketing programmes and build upon the velocity and demand created by its predecessors.
Already under the outgoing board, led by chairman Mike Browne, MHAIA has revamped its marketing campaign and created new programmes and partnerships.
The new national campaign included advertisements in major print publications such as Real Simple, People and Shape, as well as a PSA with Holly Robinson Peete, partnerships with The Biggest Loser and Turner Sports.
MHAIA also coordinated its own “Taste the Wow Tour,” a mobile unit which travels the US promoting avocado consumption and usage at major food and health shows.
