"For years, the avocado industry has been stuck in a cycle that makes little sense. Growers produce a premium piece of fresh fruit. Retailers promote it like a commodity," according to Troy Agosti, founder of EVO®Hass. "Consumers stand in front of the shelf, squeezing, guessing, and hoping they get it right. When they do not, the result is predictable: disappointment at home, lower trust in the category, and a race to the bottom on price."
Troy said that the future of fresh produce will not be built on moving more volume at lower prices; it will be built on delivering a better outcome for the customer, more consistently, and creating more value for everyone in the chain as a result.
That is the thinking behind ÉVO HASS. "At its core, ÉVO HASS is a premium avocado program supported by AI-powered ripeness prediction that consumers can access on their phone. It is simple in concept but powerful in implication. Rather than forcing shoppers to rely on feel, colour, or luck, the platform is designed to help them better understand ripeness before purchase, giving them more confidence in choosing fruit for today, tomorrow, or later."
In produce, confidence changes behaviour. When a shopper trusts what they are buying, they buy more decisively. They are less likely to be disappointed at home. They are more likely to come back and purchase again. For retailers and suppliers, that matters. For a category like avocados, where inconsistency can quickly undermine repeat purchase, it matters a great deal.
Less guesswork at the shelf
"The avocado category has spent too long accepting waste, inconsistency, and downward pricing pressure as normal. None of that is good for growers or retailers, and none of it is good for consumers. The reality is that customers are not asking for the cheapest avocado possible. They are asking for a better experience. They want fruit that meets the occasion they are buying for. They want to know whether it is ready now or ready later. They want less waste in the fruit bowl and less guesswork at the shelf. That is where technology can finally play a useful role in fresh produce.
"Useful technology in produce should solve a real commercial problem. It should improve the shopping experience. It should support better category performance. And ideally, it should do all of that without adding friction for the customer."
© EVOHASS
By combining premium fruit, strong brand execution, and a mobile-first ripeness experience, the model is designed to shift avocados out of pure commodity thinking and into a more sophisticated value-based proposition.
Across fresh produce, margin pressure is rising, input costs remain elevated, and the industry continues to debate how to create sustainable returns in categories that are often promoted too aggressively. In avocados, discounting has become an easy lever, but it is rarely a strategic one. Lower prices may move fruit in the short term, but they do little to build trust, loyalty, or long-term category value.
"If shoppers can make a more informed decision, they are more likely to feel positive about the purchase. If they have a better eating experience, the category earns another chance. If that process can be repeated consistently, avocados stop behaving like a gamble and start behaving like a premium fresh product should. That is not just good brand thinking. It is good business.
"The long-term winners in fresh produce will be those who understand that branding, technology, and supply chain execution are no longer separate conversations. They are becoming one commercial system. Strong supply without a consumer proposition is not enough. A good consumer proposition without operational discipline is not enough either. The categories that create lasting value will be the ones that connect the orchard, the packhouse, the retailer, and the shopper in a more intelligent way."
The timing is right
"Consumers are increasingly comfortable using their phones as part of the purchase journey. They use it to compare, verify, review, scan, and decide. Fresh produce has been slower than other categories to embrace that reality, but the direction is clear. The businesses that move first and do it well will have an advantage. For avocados, the timing is right. It is a category with strong consumer demand, but inconsistent purchase experiences, and it is a category where a better decision at the point of sale can create immediate value.
"That is why ÉVO HASS is more than a piece of technology. It is a broader commercial proposition built around premium fruit, ripeness intelligence, and a better consumer experience. The goal is not simply to tell a shopper that an avocado is good or bad. The goal is to help turn a historically inconsistent category into one that is more trusted, more engaging, and ultimately more profitable."
Implications beyond one brand
If avocados can be sold with more precision and confidence, the category becomes stronger. Retailers gain a better story to tell, suppliers gain a better framework for value, and consumers gain a better outcome at home.
"For too long, the category conversation has been dominated by volume, price, and promotion. Those levers still matter, but they are no longer enough on their own. The next phase of growth will come from making fresh produce easier to buy well, and that starts with reducing uncertainty, because in the end, avocados do not just have a supply problem, a pricing problem, or a promotional problem; they have a confidence problem, and confidence is exactly where the next wave of value will be created."
For more information:
Troy Agosti
EVO HASS
Tel: +61 436 666 811
[email protected]
www.evohass.com
