The South African Avocado Growers’ Association (SAAGA) is claiming success for its 2010 UK summer avocado marketing campaign following a return to growth in sales after a decline in 2009.

Results unveiled at the Subtrop Marketing Symposium, held in Tzaneen, in South Africa’s Limpopo Province last week, showed UK retail sales were up by 14 per cent in value and six per cent in volume in the period covering the South African season, according to Kantar Worldpanel data for the 24 weeks to 3 October.

This year’s UK marketing activity focused around the FIFA World Cup, with PR, advertising and in-store activity promoting the use of guacamole as an ideal snack for football viewers.

Subtrop and SAAGA chief executive Derek Donkin said: “It is very encouraging to see the UK avo market back in growth and I’m pleased that our campaign has achieved cut-through in a year when many bigger spenders were also focusing on the World Cup.

“South African growers have supported the UK consistently for the past 15 years and the market for avocados has been transformed as a result.”

Reviewing the 15 year campaign at the symposium, Rob Metcalfe, managing director of marketing agency Richmond Towers Communications, said: “This is probably the longest running campaign ever in fresh produce. When SAAGA began its campaign, avo sales in the UK stood at around £13 million and the fruit was seen as a winter product. Now sales are at £43m, which even allowing for inflation represents incremental sales of £25m a year. It’s a testimony to the remarkable consistency of support from South Africa and the positive response from the UK trade and consumers.”

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