This year’s Big Game is Sunday, February 13, 2022, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and we are gearing up for one of the avocado’s biggest weeks of the year. With the Big Game in town and millions watching couch-side and in sports bars across the country, avocados continue to hold their MVP status for both foodservice and in the produce aisle.
In a recent article from Produce Business, the Hass Avocado Board reported that in 2021 Hass avocado volume increased 5% to 57.6 million units, and dollar sales increased 1% to $51.2 million versus the year prior.
To ensure your customers have enough fuel for their game-day meal goals, place avocados front and center – ready for kickoff!
Whether you offer single fruit paired with bagged packaging or a big advertising push and large display, here are three tips to creating a SUPER avocado presence in time for the Big Game:
1. Choose the right avocado for your shoppers:
“At West Pak, we start preparing three to five weeks before Super Bowl is approaching. We are even thinking about the Super Bowl around Christmas time, and we have customers that are already thinking about it too.” – Heath Shoup, Vice President of Sales and Product Management at West Pak Avocado
Ensure you have the right size, stage of ripeness, and a combination of bags and/or bulk fruit you need. After all, shoppers know what they are looking for when it comes to their produce.
In a recent study from the Hass Avocado Board, “Super” avocado households were more likely than others to purchase a combination of bulk and bagged avocados (55%). That’s why it’s essential to know your shoppers’ habits during the Big Game and ramp up your supply of avocado offerings accordingly.
2. Display Confidence with Shoppers:
Promote avocados by steering your customers into the produce aisle. When a shopper enters your store, you want them to easily spot avocados and quickly choose their size and level of ripeness. Various types of displays, custom signage, and in-store contests are great opportunities to make the fruit stand out and be attractive.
In a recent article from Supermarket Perimeter, Jan Delyser from the California Avocado Commission offered an excellent tip for displaying avocados: “As with most produce items, displaying avocados near complementary produce and near items with contrasting colors is helpful. Additional displays of avocados work exceptionally well, especially during periods of high consumption, such as during California avocado season in the spring and summer, holidays, and the Super Bowl.”
“Visually, show how beneficial a bag can be for a family of three or a family of five by featuring different sizes and types of bags.” – Joe Nava, Vice President of Sales and Business Development at West Pak Avocado
Our Avo Experts on our sales and marketing team are here to support your category by ensuring the dimensions and specifications of your display meet your store needs, not just during the Big Game but all year long.
3. Create a spectacle on social media:
Lastly, give your shoppers ideas to enjoy the biggest football game of the year. Create impactful content on your social media channels that promotes various ways to use avocados on game day – think of family sizes, gathering types, or even by meal: appetizers, main courses, or desserts. Just have fun with it and ensure your content appeals to your shoppers. We’ve created three super avocado bowl recipes to pass along during game day weekend, here.
“Retailers should consider carrying a conversation on Twitter in the days leading up to and during the Big Game, as 23% of users are more likely to visit the platform to talk about the game in real-time.” – George Henderson, Marketing Manager at West Pak Avocado
Let our Avo Experts support you with advice before the game, simply connect with us by scheduling a meeting, here.
