While avocados enjoy steady and strong demand year-round, there are a few events throughout the year when the demand spikes even higher than usual. One such event is fast approaching: The Super Bowl. As a lead-up to game day, avocado volumes entering the US have already been increasing throughout January, and marketing efforts to encourage consumption have been underway for months.
Good demand and strong supplies
While the US receives avocados from multiple countries throughout the year, Mexico is their main supplier of avocados, especially during this time of the year. “Right now, Mexico is the horse for avocados, especially in the US,” says Denise Junqueiro of Mission Produce. “The quality we are seeing is good, and both the demand and supply are strong in the market, in preparation for the Big Game,” she adds.
The overall volumes and demand have been up all year this year, so far. “We did see an uptick at the beginning of the year for New Year’s and that has stayed steady. The pulls are even stronger for these couple of weeks, leading into the Big Game,” Junqueiro shares. APEAM, the Association of Growers and Packers of Avocados From Mexico, shares that the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl and the day of the Big Game are one of the best seasons for avocado exports, similar to May 5th, or Cinco de Mayo.
California is an important avocado supplier for the United States, too, and Jan DeLyser, Vice President of Marketing of the California Avocado Commission shares: “The California Avocado Commission first started promoting avocados for Super Bowl in the 1980s. Over the decades since, avocados have become the quintessential Super Bowl food for tailgates, parties and at-home viewing. This year will be different, but at-home viewing and the enjoyment of avocados is expected to continue.” This year, though, the avocados consumed at the game will be mostly avocados from Mexico. DeLyser says: “The California avocado harvest has not yet started in earnest and the earliest promotions some California retailers are planning for the fruit are for Valentine’s Day. Promotable volumes of California avocados are expected to ramp up starting in April.”
Record breaking volumes this year
The volumes being supplied by Mexico have been breaking records, according to APEAM. “The second week before the Super Bowl has been record-breaking, with an export of 36 thousand tons, or 1792 containers. This comes out to a container filled with avocados departing from Michoacán to the United States every 6 minutes,” APEAM shares.
Despite the pandemic, and the differences in consumption patterns in general, as well as the changes in the game day celebrations in particular, the expectation is that there will be a 4% growth for the avocados during this Super Bowl season, according to APEAM. “The pulls are strong for the Big Game, despite the pandemic, and despite the fact that people may not be having large gatherings, they are still celebrating the Big Game with avocados,” Junqueiro of Mission Produce concludes.
For more information:
Denise Junqueiro
Mission Produce, Inc.
Tel: +1 (805) 981-3650
Email: djunqueiro@missionproduce.com
www.worldsfinestavocados.com
APEAM
Tel: +52 (452) 503 3000
Email: oficina@apeamac.com
www.apeamac.com 
Marji Morrow
California Avocado Commission
Tel: +1 (323) 456-6751
Email: mmorrow@avocado.org
www.californiaavocado.com