Europeans consumed a record 650 million tonnes of avocados consumption in the past 12 months, marking a huge 35 per cent increase on the previous year.
The World Avocado Organisation announced the news at their bi-annual meeting in Madrid, where they were recognising Spain’s recent membership of the group.
They ascribed the fruit's continued growth to a greater number of successful partnerships throughout Europe. This summer the WAO collaborated with Tesco in a roadshow where avocado tasters were served to thousands of customers across the UK.
The E.U. is one of the fastest growing markets worldwide and is already the second-largest consumer market in the world for avocados.
The WAO also procured retail partnerships with other European brands such as Lidl, Edeka in Germany, and Eroski in Spain. Restaurant chains such as Vapiano and Zizzi have also increased their use of the fruit in their outlets.
Last month the WAO also became the first fresh produce category to sponsor the renowned Michelin Guide, with Xavier Equiha, CEO of the World Avocado Organization predicting further double growth for avocado sales in Europe.
Equiha said: “We’ve seen tremendous growth throughout Europe in the past year, with Europeans consuming 650 million tonnes of avocados over the past 12 months. We predict an exciting year ahead said.
'We’ll grow this by continuing to illustrate the benefits and versatility of avocados and respond to increased interest from our European consumers.”
