OXNARD, CA - If updates on the California avocado season are what you seek, look no further. AndNowUKnow recently took a dive into the staple category, tapping Freska Produce International’s Gary Clevenger for some exclusive insights.

“The quality should be very good this year due to recent rains, but volume will be on the lower side as this crop is smaller than last year. The projection is for somewhere around 208 million lbs,” Gary, Managing Partner at Freska, tells me. “Sizing should be on the larger side, with less fruit in the trees competing for nutrients.”

As Gary shares, both pricing and demand remain strong for the overall avocado category.

“Demand seems to be good as we approach the springtime,” he notes. “In general, we are seeing higher-than-average pricing, and I would expect pricing to get even higher come May–June, as Mexico will be at the end of its season and we are hearing Peru may be under last year's crop size as well.”

To ensure California avocados perform well at retail during this time, retailers should keep product well-stocked to meet consumer demand. One variety certain to capture consumer attention this season is the beloved GEM avocado.

“We will be harvesting more GEM avocados this year. We call it the gourmet avocado due to its texture, nutty flavor profile, and skin, which resembles a gem from the shiny yellow dots,” Gary adds. “A lot of growers are planting more of this variety that grows a much larger and healthier avocado than regular Hass avocados. This year, we will be marketing this variety as there will be more and more available as the crops grow larger over the next few years.”

With a commitment to offering high-quality avocados and a diverse range of varieties to consumers who prioritize taste and texture, Freska’s impressive brand reputation and supply chain efficiency make the company a standout partner in the avocado space.

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