California avocado season has kicked off with the California Avocado Commission’s (CAC) “Wake up to Breakfast with California Avocados” promotion.
Morning represents tremendous growth opportunities for avocado consumption, and the commission aims to encourage consumption of California avocados with its breakfast-themed activities, according to a news release.
It works very well for spring merchandising events including Easter, Mother’s Day, and with Cinco de Mayo on a Sunday this year it’s a perfect opportunity to communicate avocado brunch ideas.
“Spring is a time of new beginnings and we have the fruit to support retail and foodservice avocado promotions with an estimated 515 million-pound crop in California this season,” says Jan DeLyser, CAC VP of marketing. “Breakfast provides an important start to the day, and avocados make a great addition to a morning menu.”
CAC’s public relations season opener event was held on March 12 at BLD restaurant in Los Angeles. Chef Neal Fraser, recognized as one of California’s finest culinary talents and co-owner of BLD, Fritzi Dog, Redbird and The Strand House, demonstrated innovative California avocado breakfast recipes including the California Avocado, Egg and Smoked Salmon Blini.
DeLyser provided information about California avocados to bloggers in attendance, who also participated in an interactive avocado brunch cocktail demonstration. These bloggers promoted the start of the California avocado season and the concept of avocados for breakfast to wide-reaching audiences, the news release says.
For retailers, the commission developed a Wake up to Breakfast with California Avocados recipe booklet, which can be ordered at CaliforniaAvocado.com/retailers. Recipes include traditional egg dishes such as the Anytime Omelet and a popular dish on social media for California Avocado Eggs in a Frame. As part of a 2013 co-marketing program CAC is partnering with Naturipe berries, and the booklet includes a recipe for a parfait with blueberries as well as one for Avocado Blueberry Muffins that showcases avocado use for breakfast baked goods.
“CAC is encouraging demand by building up the breakfast day part/meal occasion,” says DeLyser. “With category supply increasing significantly it is critical to continue fostering demand for avocados; we are providing retailers with the opportunity to include the breakfast recipe booklets on their California avocado displays and to promote avocados for breakfast use.”
The commission also is using online and social media outreach to support the breakfast marketing initiative and created a microsite, CaliforniaAvocado.com/avocados-for-breakfast, that features fast recipes for use during the week and special weekend breakfast recipes, as well as nutrition tips. A contest on Pinterest encourages consumers to share their favorite California avocado breakfast recipe ideas.
For more information, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com.
