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- 2026 Guac Off Challenge
- Avocados from Peru Honors Stephen J. Barnard and Bob Lucy with Global Leadership Award
- Avocados From Peru Opens 2025 U.S. Season With Detroit Tigers Partnership and National Promotions
- Chicago Fire FC, Avocados From Peru, and Mariano’s Announce Winners of the #AvoFire Ultimate Soccer Sweepstakes
- 2024 AVO Tesla Summer Sweepstakes Winner Announced
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2026 Guac Off Challenge
/by Content BaconAvocados From Peru Celebrates Cinco de Mayo with Third Annual San Diego Guac Off at SeaWorld’s Viva La Música SoCal Taco Festival
SAN DIEGO, CA, May 2, 2026 — Avocados From Peru (AFP) marked the soft launch of its 2026 U.S. season with its third annual San Diego Guac Off Challenge, held at SeaWorld San Diego during Viva La Música and the SoCal Taco Festival, part of Southern California’s largest Latino music celebration.
The high-energy event at the Taco Fest Village Stage featured a live competition among local radio personalities Danielle (91X), Kristi (Magic 92.5), and Pandar (Z90), each presenting their own guacamole creation using fresh Avocados From Peru.
After a spirited competition, Kristi Jagger from Magic 92.5 San Diego was crowned champion, taking home the Avocados From Peru Silver Avocado Trophy.
Now in its third year, the Guac Off Challenge continues to grow as a signature experiential platform. The San Diego event is one of three Guac Off activations planned across the United States in 2026, each designed to engage consumers in key markets during peak season.
The event aligns with AFP’s broader omni-channel approach, integrating retail partnerships, digital media, and experiential activations to drive awareness, increase consumption, and support retail movement.
“Cinco de Mayo represents one of the most important consumption moments for avocados in the United States,” said Xavier Equihua, President & CEO of Avocados From Peru. “Our Guac Off Challenge allows us to connect directly with consumers in an authentic way while reinforcing our broader retail and media strategy across key markets.”
As part of its “Eat Healthy, Live Green” philosophy, Avocados From Peru continues to promote the nutritional benefits of avocados, which naturally contain good fats and nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
For more information, contact media@avocadosfromperu.com
About Avocados From Peru
Peru stands as a prominent global producer of avocados, renowned for its unwavering commitment to consistent quality, dependable supply, and streamlined export infrastructure. Avocados From Peru, a non-profit organization operating under the U.S. Federal Promotion Program for Hass Avocados, serves as the industry’s representative, encompassing growers, exporters, and importers. Its primary objective is to facilitate the promotion of avocados from Peru in the U.S. market.
Avocados from Peru Honors Stephen J. Barnard and Bob Lucy with Global Leadership Award
/by Content BaconGlobal Leadership Awards honor two avocado industry pioneers whose vision, innovation and leadership helped shape Peru’s growth and the global avocado category
La Jolla, California – April 13, 2026 — The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC), through its flagship brand Avocados from Peru, proudly announced that Stephen J. Barnard and Bob Lucy were honored with the prestigious Global Leadership Award in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to the avocado industry.
The awards were presented on April 8, 2026, during a special dinner held at The Lodge at Torrey Pines in honor of the recipients, the evening prior to the PAC 2026 Annual Membership Meeting.
Stephen Barnard, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Mission Produce, was recognized as a true pioneer who helped transform avocados into a global staple through innovation in ripening, global sourcing, and category development. Over more than four decades, he built Mission Produce into a vertically integrated, billion-dollar business spanning more than 25 countries. His early and visionary investment in Peru helped establish the country as a leading global supplier, including founding the largest avocado packing operation in the world in Peru and becoming one of the largest avocado growers in the country. A bold and forward-thinking leader guided by his philosophy to “play offense” and “not be afraid to lose,” Barnard’s impact extended across the entire value chain and through his industry leadership, including service on the board of the International Fresh Produce Association.
Bob Lucy, co-founder of Del Rey Avocado Company, was honored for his nearly five decades of leadership and service to the avocado industry. A respected pioneer, Lucy played a key role in shaping the U.S. avocado market and expanding the global presence of the category. He served for many years as Chairman of the Peruvian Avocado Commission’s Marketing Committee and as a member of its Board of Directors, helping guide strategic growth initiatives and strengthen the positioning of Peruvian avocados in the U.S. market. His broader industry contributions included leadership roles with the California Avocado Commission and other international organizations.
“These awards recognized not only remarkable individual achievement, but also the spirit of vision, innovation, and partnership that drives our industry forward,” said Xavier Equihua, President & CEO of PAC.
“Through our Global Leadership Award, the Peruvian Avocado Commission is proud to be the only organization in the avocado category that honors leaders whose vision and contributions have advanced both the global avocado industry and the growth of Peru as a leading origin,” said PAC Chairman Jose Antonio Castro. “Stephen and Bob exemplify the leadership, commitment, and long-term vision that continue to elevate our industry worldwide.”
The Global Leadership Award represents the highest level of recognition by Avocados from Peru, honoring individuals whose vision, commitment, and impact have helped shape the future of the global avocado industry.
About Avocados from Peru
Avocados from Peru serves as the marketing and promotional arm of the Peruvian Avocado Commission in the United States. Operating under the guidelines of the federal promotion program for Hass avocados, the organization is dedicated to building demand for Peruvian avocados through strategic retail partnerships, innovative marketing campaigns, and consumer engagement initiatives that promote healthy living and sustainable practices.
For more information about the event and Avocados From Peru, email media@avocadosfromperu.com.
Avocados From Peru Opens 2025 U.S. Season With Detroit Tigers Partnership and National Promotions
/by AFP-adminCampaign celebrates nutrition, culture and community, from MLB stadiums to Fleet Week, with unique retail and culinary activations
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 30, 2025) — Avocados From Peru (AFP), the national brand of the Peruvian Avocado Commission, has officially opened its 2025 U.S. season with a major league splash: a high-impact partnership with the Detroit Tigers that serves as the centerpiece of AFP’s national marketing efforts.
“Sports inspire people to stay active and live well — values that Avocados From Peru champions in every campaign,” said Xavier Equihua, president and CEO of the Peruvian Avocado Commission. “No other origin does what we do to integrate avocados with cultural, lifestyle and wellness-driven experiences.”
The 2025 signature partnership with the Detroit Tigers, in collaboration with Meijer and Chevrolet, includes in-stadium promotions, retail displays, digital content and summer grilling campaigns. The centerpiece is a sweepstakes for an “Avo Tigers” Chevy Silverado pickup truck, with the grand prize winner to be announced Sept. 21 on Fan Appreciation Day at Comerica Park.
“Detroit is an iconic American city, and the Tigers are one of the hottest teams in baseball,” Equihua said. “Our partnership with Meijer, a loyal AFP customer, helps us drive consumption and brand engagement in the Midwest, a key growth market.”
During Memorial Day weekend, AFP brought culinary diplomacy to New York City’s Fleet Week by hosting a superfood breakfast aboard the USS New York, a ship built with steel from the World Trade Center. U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel were served Peruvian avocado smoothies and dishes prepared by Chef Mario Lanzone of Peruvian Brothers.
“It was an honor to serve the men and women of the U.S. armed forces at this special event,” Equihua said. “This is the kind of authentic, bi-national experience that sets us apart. It reflects our mission to share the nutritional benefits of Peruvian avocados through cultural and community connections. No other origin does anything remotely similar.”
Complementing its event series, AFP is rolling out a range of customized retail programs designed to educate, engage and drive avocado sales. Initiatives include a national e-coupon and rebate program, social media competitions, in-store activations, display and sales contests, recipe-driven digital content and a national mesh bag program.
Signature Guacamole Challenge events will expand to key U.S. regions, including Southern California, the Midwest and the East Coast, to drive avocado awareness and trial in priority markets.
AFP’s 2025 media strategy complements its retail and event initiatives with high-visibility placements across top-tier programming. These include serving as the local sponsor of this summer’s marquee broadcasts, such as the 2025 MLB All-Star Game airing July 15 on FOX, fan-favorite FOX culinary shows like MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen and Next Level Chef as well as MLS and NFL games. The campaign is further amplified by a series of broadcast and digital promotions strategically timed to peak shopping moments.
“Our goal is to meet consumers where they are: in the stadium, at the store, on their screens,” Equihua said. “And to do it in ways that celebrate movement, culture and the joy of eating fresh, delicious food.”
Giving back and fighting hunger with nutrition remains a key pillar of AFP’s mission. In addition to its Guacamole Challenge event series, AFP supports food security through community-based donations of avocados from Peru to local food banks, helping increase access to fresh, nutritious food for families nationwide.
Peru is expected to export more than 200 million pounds of avocados to the U.S. between May and September 2025, reinforcing its position as a key driver of category growth. Even with a 10 percent tariff in place, Peru continues to expand its U.S. retail programs and deliver reliable, premium-quality fruit to meet growing demand for avocados across the market
“In a changing market, our goal is to be the constant,” said Equihua. “We deliver quality, reliability and creativity — values that drive results for our retail partners and delight consumers season after season.”
For more information about the 2025 campaign and Avocados From Peru, email media@avocadosfromperu.com.