As June dawns, Del Rey Avocado Co. has added the Peru fruit to its avocado line-up and is also offering more bags and other value-added options for its customers. Bob Lucy, president of the company with its offices in Fallbrook, CA, and its modern packing shed in nearby Vista, said the avocado-centric firm's first Peruvian fruit was expected the first week of June and will carry it into September. He expects July and August to be the sweet spot for Peruvian avocados this year as Mexico’s production starts to diminish in June and California has a crop about 30 percent less than 2020. Speaking

To complement both its San Diego County area and Peruvian production during the summer months, Fallbrook, CA-based McDaniel Fruit Co. has acquired significant acreage in California’s more northern regions. “We have acquired a significant amount of acreage this year,” said Rankin McDaniel Sr., president of the longtime avocado grower, shipper, packer, importer and distributor. “We have doubled or tripled our volume up north.” Of course, “up north” in California still refers to the southern half of the state. McDaniel was referring to the avocado production region that that includes Ventura

Mission Produce Inc., one of the world’s largest avocado producers, also boasts the one of the largest packingsheds in the world as part of its operation in Peru. “We are vertically integrated in our Peru operations,” said Denise Junqueiro, senior director of marketing and communications for the Oxnard, CA-based company. “We own approximately 3,770 hectares across three farms, as well as the world’s largest avocado packing facility, located in Chao. We pack, bag and provide cold storage for our avocados at the source, and ripen at the destination in one of our 12 global ripening and forward

The Peruvian Avocado Commission will launch this summer the first ever marketing program dedicated to promoting organic avocados. This will be the first time that an organic product will be marketed using assessment funds from an organization operating under a federal promotion program to promote one of the fastest growing segments within the produce category. Under the National Organic Program, producers, handlers and importers of organic products may request an exemption for assessment paid to a federal promotion program. However, PAC has launched an ambitious custom-made program this year

The ninth consecutive celebration of California Avocado Month in June has begun. This year’s marketing activity includes a recipe contest, a drive-in movie event, chef recipes, social media support, public relations outreach and more. Concurrently the Commission is supporting customized retail and foodservice promotions that drive awareness of California avocados at point of purchase. “California Avocado Month helps communicate the premium quality of California avocados and draws attention to peak season availability,” said Jan DeLyser, vice president marketing of the Commission. “June is an

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved the importation of Hass avocados from Peru and that first year seven containers were shipped to the United States with the fruit inside having been subjected to a cold treatment. Parallel to this, the USDA also certified the Peruvian Avocado Organization to operate under the U.S. Federal Promotion Program for Avocados. Jose Antonio Castro of Agrokasa in Lima, who is the current chairman of PAC, remembers that shipment well. “Cold treatment disrupts the natural life of avocados,” he said, indicating that the arrival at the U.S. port was not