Giumarra Companies' Gary Caloroso Shares How to Capitalize on Avocado Demand as Cinco de Mayo Approaches
LOS ANGELES, CA - There’s nothing like fresh, rich green avocados on display at retail to signal shoppers that Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner. That is why I called upon Gary Caloroso, Regional Business Development Director for Giumarra Companies, to give us the lowdown on how to prepare for this heavy-hitting holiday.
“We suggest that retailers creatively utilize their social media channels to promote avocados with consumers,” says Gary. “Along with Avocados From Mexico (AFM) and the California Avocado Commission (CAC), both organizations we are proud to support, we have lots of recipes and photos that can be used to promote the various ways to use avocados and their nutritional benefits.”
As we in the produce industry know, Cinco de Mayo is one of the largest avocado consumption days of the year, and Gary expects that there will be increased interest this year by foodservice customers as more restaurants continue to open up. To support the promotion of the holiday and avocado purchases, he recommends utilizing key merchandising tools to draw the consumer gaze and maximize both regular and impulse buys.
“AFM and CAC offer great Cinco de Mayo merchandising tools to retailers including colorful bins, signage, and other point-of-sale materials. We also offer customized marketing support to retailers and foodservice that include contests and digital marketing,” Gary continues. “In addition to buying avocados from retailers, we hope that lots of consumers will support their local restaurants and order avocado-related menu items as they celebrate Cinco de Mayo!”
In terms of the market this Cinco de Mayo, buyers can expect pricing to be lower than last year, as the industry was facing uncertainty due to the pandemic. And, as Gary tells me, retailers saw record sales in 2020, which could point to similar trends this year as certain parts of the country begin to re-open.
With this fruit continuing to serve as the quintessential Cinco de Mayo offering, get your displays and restaurants ready for consumers as they go on the hunt for all things avocado!
