How do you top an award-winning performance by a celebrity chef at PMA’s Fresh Summit? You bring two celebrity chefs, according to the California Avocado Commission (CAC). The CAC has put together a plan for the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Fresh Summit, to be held Oct. 26-28 in Anaheim, Calif., designed to deliver an informative as well as enjoyable California avocado experience.
With this year’s event occurring within driving distance of California’s avocado groves, CAC expects good attendance from California avocado growers as well as retail and foodservice customers. CAC’s VP of marketing, Jan DeLyser, also serves as the incoming chair of PMA.
The commission is turning to celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger to share innovative California avocado recipes in CAC’s booth on both Saturday and Sunday. Both chefs are fans of California avocados and have served as spokespersons for the commission for a number of years. They own the critically-acclaimed Border Grill restaurants in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, Calif., and Las Vegas, Nev., as well as the Border Grill Truck. Feniger and Milliken are well known as the “Too Hot Tamales” and for their participation on Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.” They will be available for photos during specified times to be announced at the show.
CAC staff also will share avocado consumer insights and data, and have on hand demonstrating opportunities to maximize avocado category performance. Additionally, market-level category scorecards will be available for U.S. markets
The commission will engage in social media in advance of and during the show, with Twitter tweets and Facebook posts directed both to trade and consumer audiences. CAC plans to hold a consumer contest on Facebook with chefs Feniger and Milliken selecting and responding to one winning question each day of the show; the winners will receive prizes.
“We are thrilled to be able to showcase California avocados in our local area during Fresh Summit this year,” DeLyser said. “We have fruit coming mostly from the northern districts in Ventura County up through north of San Luis Obispo and the eating quality is outstanding.”
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s nearly 5,000 avocado growers.
In the featured photo at top: Celebrity chefs Mary Sue Milliken, left, and Susan Feniger film a video for the California Avocado Commission at a California avocado grove.
