The Heart-Healthy Summer Avocado Launches the 2017 Season with New and Innovative Marketing Tactics

/by

150 Million Pounds of Avocados from Peru are expected to be imported into the United States this summer

PAC superfood

Washington D.C., June 1, 2017 — The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) is gearing up for the most successful season to-date! Following the FDA’s confirmation that avocados are a heart-healthy superfood, in May, Avocados from Peru received the healthy Heart-Check mark from the American Heart Association. With heart disease being a leading cause of death in both women and men in the U.S., the valuable Heart-Check mark has served as a trusted resource for consumers. By including the heart-check mark in AFP’s marketing efforts it will help to promote the nutritional benefits of avocados, and to educate consumers about healthy dietary fats.

“As the new chairman of the Peruvian Avocado Commission, I am extremely pleased with the recent developments and positive focus on the nutrition attributes of Hass avocados. PAC has been a leading advocate for these measures and will continue paving the path during the new season within the health and beauty industry to showcase how avocados can benefit overall health and wellness for the body!” said Jose Antonio Castro, Chairman of PAC.

Starting in early June, PAC will deliver Summer fresh Avocados from Peru to retailers nationwide. Peruvian avocados have their peak season during the summer months and this year, over 150 million pounds of Peruvian avocados are projected to be imported into the United States from June to September.

“With avocados being America’s favorite superfood, we expect the consumption of avocados to continue rising this summer, which is great because this is our largest crop to-date,” said Xavier Equihua, CEO and President of PAC. “Our primary goal this season is to supply the U.S. with top-quality fruit during the peak summer season, and to educate the public about the wonderful health benefits of Peruvian Avocados.”

In addition to showcasing the beneficial nutrients that occur naturally in Avocados from Peru, the commission plans to partner with other Peruvian superfoods like blueberries, quinoa and asparagus to create synergistic promotional campaigns.

Kicking-off the season with a splash, Avocados from Peru (AFP) will partner with Walmart stores to participate in their annual Wellness Day on Saturday, June 17. Over 800 stores will feature and demo a superfood rich avocado and blueberry smoothie, made with fresh Avocados from Peru, blueberries, banana, spinach leaves, almond milk and Greek yogurt. Walmart will continue to demo delicious AFP recipes throughout the summer including a refreshing avocado peach crostini. To help promote demo days and help drive store traffic, AFP has created a targeted Geo-Fencing mobile program that will activate within 5 miles around key stores.  Additionally, demos will also be taking place at Costco stores throughout the summer.

Also launching the summer season, AFP will run a promotion with CBS Radio and feature the Avo-Dog at the Baltimore Orioles stadium during 4th of July week. Fans can enjoy avocado themed food while cheering on their favorite team this summer.

AFP’s 2017 robust marketing program introduces an experiential three-month long campaign that includes high-profile partnerships; increased trade and consumer advertising; an expanded menu of retailer support and incentive programs; and more opportunities to engage directly with consumers through social media initiatives.

TRADE SUPPORT

With increased marketing support and a large volume of fresh avocados imported from Peru, PAC is, once again, offering produce managers a greater variety of tools to merchandise the popular summer fruit.

Co-branded newspaper ads and bus wraps.

Bins with bold graphics featuring the signature AFP Machu Picchu brand image.

Funding for IRC’s.

Funding for demos taking place during the summer including the week leading up to the important Fourth of July holiday.

New complimentary content for social media.

CONSUMER TACTICS

This year AFP is launching a strong consumer outreach program, highlights include:

In a first for the category, AFP will run retailer co-branded ads in Vogue, Vanity Fair and Women’s Health, communicating that Avocados from Peru are a key part of a health and beauty regimen.

A re-launch of the digital AFP cookbook with mouth-watering recipes designed to promote delicious ways to enjoy avocados from Peru.

Radio spots throughout the summer in key cities, reminding consumers that

Avocados from Peru will add the certified heart-healthy check mark by the American Heart Association to all marketing elements.

Radio stations will run contests around Father’s Day and July 4th asking listeners to send in their best Avocados from Peru summer picnic and grilling recipes, with the winners receiving AFP prize packages.

A continued partnership with AFP’s Global Ambassadors. AFP will partner with leading chefs, the President of Peru, and Peruvian Trade Commission, including a co-sponsorship with PromPeru of an event at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington DC.

Digital advertising featuring a series of videos highlighting Peru as “the land of superfoods”.

Next installment of the collaboration with AFP’s global ambassador Fooddeco, with new themed series’ and recipes.

Consumers in select cities may also see buses wrapped as a larger-than-life full-color billboard featuring the picturesque landscape of Peru and of course, delicious Avocados from Peru.

All 2017 AFP marketing promotions will be supported by a strategic and engaging social media campaign. Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter will provide the growing PAC fan base with inspirational reasons to select avocados from Peru including new recipes, photographs and opportunities to share cool avo-tips.  Additionally, AFP’s evolving website, providing engaging and informative content along with AVOMAG, will be constantly updated to help keep avocados top of mind during season.

The exciting line-up for the 2017 initiatives, each complementing each other, will continue to strengthen AFP’s position as the peak summer avocado for consumers and retailers across the country. To find more information about Avocados from Peru, or for heart-healthy Peruvian Avocado recipes, visit: www.avocadosfromperu.com, or click here to download a free copy of the Avocados from Peru Cookbook.

# # #

About the Peruvian Avocado Commission

The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was established in 2011 to increase the consumption/demand for Avocados from Peru through advertising, retail promotion and public relations. The PAC’s promotional activities are conducted under the guidelines of the Federal Promotion Program for Hass Avocados, which is under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information about the PAC please visit www.avocadosfromperu.com or email [email protected].

Avocados From Peru are “Officially” A Heart-Healthy Food

/by

Peruvian Avocado Commission Receives the Heart-Check Mark from the American Heart Association

Washington, DC May 17, 2017— Following the 2016 USDA announcement claiming Hass Avocados are a “healthy” food, the AHA has now granted the Peruvian Avocado Commission certification rights to the Heart-Check mark for its marketing promotions and campaigns.

“The valuable Heart-Check mark has served as a trusted resource for consumers, and by adding the heart-check to our efforts it will help to complement the official seal of approval from the FDA and USDA that avocados are a healthy food- something that all consumers will be culturally aware of. The new tools that we have to promote avocados as officially healthy will also help us to educate consumers that not all fat is bad. Avocados, along with other healthy fats like nuts and olives, are crucial to our daily diets.” Said Xavier Equihua, CEO and President of PAC.

With heart disease being a leading cause of death in both women and men in the U.S., the confusion about dietary fats can result in missed opportunities for those who are trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. The Heart-Check Food Certification Program helps consumers identify foods that can be building blocks of a heart-healthy diet.

Nutrient-dense Avocados From Peru is considered one of Peru’s most popular superfoods, and certainly the most popular superfood in the U.S. One ounce of avocado contains 50 calories and provides nearly 20 important vitamins and minerals including 150 mg of potassium, 2 g of dietary fiber and has zero cholesterol or sodium. In 2015, Avocados from Peru was also the first origin to be approved by AMS to use the words Superfood Nutrition to describe the fruit.

The primary marketing goals and efforts of the Peruvian Avocado Commission in the U.S. is to reflect the organization’s commitment to supplying top-quality fruit during the peak summer season, while educating the public about the health benefits of Peruvian Avocados.

To find heart-healthy Peruvian Avocado recipes, visit: www.avocadosfromperu.com, or click here to download a free copy of the Avocados from Peru Cookbook.

###

About the Peruvian Avocado Commission
The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was established in 2011 to increase the consumption/demand for Avocados from Peru through advertising, retail promotion and public relations. The PAC’s promotional activities are conducted under the guidelines of the federal promotion program for Hass avocados, which is under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
For more information about the PAC please visit www.avocadosfromperu.com.

About the Heart-Check Mark

The American Heart Association established the Heart-Check mark in 1995 to give consumers an easy, reliable system for identifying heart-healthy foods as a first step in building a sensible eating plan. Nearly 900 products that bear the Heart-Check mark have been screened and verified by the association to meet criteria for heart-healthy foods. To learn more about the Heart-Check mark, and to see a complete list of certified products and participating companies, visit www.heartcheckmark.org

Media Contact:
Xavier Equihua, CEO and President
Peruvian Avocado Commission
(302) 547-3625
[email protected]

Avocados from Peru Closes Successful 2016 Export Season

/by

Avocados from Peru Closes Successful 2016 Export Season

After an active and prosperous 2016, Avocados from Peru looks forward to 2017

Washington, D.C., October 17, 2016 – Avocados from Peru is pleased to announce the close of a successful 2016 export season that saw continued growth in demand for Peruvian avocados, the launch of both the world’s first international superfoods brand and a new worldwide cooperative marketing initiative, and official recognition of avocados’ health benefits from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We are extremely excited by the success that Avocados from Peru saw during the world-wide 2016 season,” said Xavier Equihua, President and CEO of the Peruvian Avocado Commission. “We hope to build off of our momentum from 2016, especially in continuing to spread news regarding the health benefits of Peruvian avocados through the new Superfoods from Peru brand, and look forward to a more robust crop and marketing season in 2017.”

In addition to its successful export growth, Avocados from Peru joined together with Blueberries from Peru to form the first international superfoods brand – Superfoods from Peru. Launched during the 5thannual Peru to the World Expo in New York City, which was attended by Guest of Honor Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, the new brand will work to promote the health benefits of Peruvian superfoods – a plethora of products such as avocados, blueberries, pomegranates, and many others – and continue the growth of superfood markets around the world.

Avocados from Peru was also a proponent for the creation of the World Avocado Organization – a partnership between Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, and the United States. This new non-profit marketing enterprise will work to enhance existing avocado markets in order to raise awareness regarding the benefits of avocados in emerging health conscious markets such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Asia.

Capping off the 2016 launch of the Superfoods from Peru brand, the FDA announced new guidelines that allow manufacturers to categorize foods containing certain good fats as “healthy” – thereby officially recognizing the benefits of monosaturated fats that have long made avocados a go-to nutritional source for health conscious consumers.

Avocados from Peru remains committed to supplying the United States with top-quality fruit and is excited to exceed the 2016 season by dramatically increasing its export to the US market in 2017.

2016 Season Highlights:

  • 2016 Season Kick-Off Event: Service men and women onboard the USS Bataan in New York City, were served a superfood breakfast during Fleet Week during Memorial Day weekend.
  • The 5th Annual Peru to the World Expo: Headlined by Guest of Honor Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, this celebration of Peruvian culture and culinary expertise also served as the launch event for the newly created international “Superfoods from Peru” brand which brings together Avocados from Peru and Blueberries from Peru under a unified banner.
  • Avocados from Peru received a Decoration of Merit: On June 21st, the Peruvian government recognized Avocados from Peru for its work to promote and advance done Peruvian agricultural trade.  USDA was also recognized for its work in fortifying U.S.-Peru agricultural trade.
  • FDA Issued Revised Guidelines for ‘Healthy’ Categorization: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration updated guidelines for manufacturers wishing to categorize their foods as ‘healthy’, stating that certain good fats now fall within this categorization. As such, avocados, which are high in monosaturated fats, can be officially marketed for the health benefits they have long provided.
  • The World Avocado Organization was Established: A partnership between Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, and the United States that will work to enhance existing avocado markets and promote the development of new health conscious markets around the globe.

About the Peruvian Avocado Commission:

The Peruvian Avocado Commission (PAC) is headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was established in 2011 to increase the consumption/demand for Avocados from Peru through advertising, retail promotion and public relations. The PAC’s promotional activities are conducted under the guidelines of the Federal Promotion Program for Hass Avocados, which is under the oversight of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For more information about the PAC please visit www.avocadosfromperu.com or email [email protected] or call 202 607-0560.

Media Contact:

Emily Nordee, PR Director
Evans Hardy + Young
805-963-5841 x 218

Recent Posts

Archives