Mission Produce announced a twofold approach to maintain supply reliability and quality amid the Mexican avocado crop transition: 1) leverage its owned Peruvian supply to complement Mexican size availability, and 2) lean into the art of ripening to expertly ripen fruit at various maturity levels.
“Our stability of supply coupled with our avocado-specific ripening infrastructure positions us to provide a consistent, year-round supply of avocados ripened to customer specification,” said Brooke Becker, vice president of sales.
Left: Brooke Becker; right: ripe rooms
Mexico’s transition from the Normal to the Flor Loca crop is expected to continue through August. Due to the transition, the market is experiencing a lack of size out of Mexico. However, larger fruit from Peru is helping to balance the size curve. Mission is the largest exporter of avocados from Peru¹* and is vertically integrated with 3,365 hectares (8,315 acres) in production, a strategic advantage to fill in supply gaps and promote year-round availability. For the 2023 season, Peru anticipates an approximate 16 percent increase in exportable volume,² indicating promotional opportunities during the summer months.
Separately, the current market is presenting fruit of various origins, dry matter levels and other characteristics which call for advanced ripening capabilities. The company’s ripening rooms feature state-of-the-art technology and are managed by ripening specialists in every facility to ripen avocados to the correct stage. According to Mission Produce’s Avocado Intel, 28 percent of consumers are looking for avocados that are ripe and ready to eat, while 38 percent are looking for avocados to eat in the next two to three days.³
Due to the transition, the market is experiencing a lack of size out of Mexico. However, larger fruit from Peru is helping to balance the size curve.
“Our custom ripe programs are designed to inspire impulse purchases by appealing to consumer preferences, driving avocado category sales for our customers,” added Becker.
The company’s California pack house alone has 18 ripe rooms with the ability to pack up to 1.2 million pounds of avocados daily,** demonstrating its strength in volume and ripening capacity. Mission Produce is currently sourcing avocados for the U.S. market from California, Mexico and Peru.
For more information on Mission’s Peruvian program and custom ripening capabilities, contact SalesReps@missionproduce.com. Mission is attending the Organic Produce Summit from July 13-14 (booth #502).
* By value in $USD
¹ Fluctuante. AgroExportaciones Peruanas. 2022.
² ProHass Industry Volume Report
³ Avocado Intel Survey. December 6, 2022.
** Figures calculated assume full capacity operation of the facility
For more information:
Jenna Aguilera
Mission Produce, Inc.
press@missionproduce.com
MPUKSales@MissionProduce.com