SANTA PAULA, CA - Avocado imagery seems to be everywhere these days. As the category continues to increase in consumer popularity, I began to wonder about the current state of the market as we enter squarely into autumn. My curiosity brought me to an expert in the avocado market, Peter Shore, Vice President of Product Management at Calavo. I asked Shore a few questions that got down to the nuts and bolts of the avocado market, including variety, sizing, and prices. Here's what he had to share.

“Hass avocados are being harvested and shipped from Mexico, with lighter volumes arriving from Colombia as well,” Shore informs me.

If this were summertime, harvest would be coming from Calavo’s California operation, but since it is currently the fall, international varieties are shipping.

I also asked about how last season and this season compare, as well as pricing and demand. I know there’s demand in my kitchen, but what does the big picture look like for shoppers?

“The seasons are similar,” Shore explains. “Size curve is trending toward small sizes, with good supplies of 60s, 70s, and 84s coming out of Mexico. We are limited on 40s and larger and expect the size curve to gradually increase through November and into December.”

Shore went on to discuss where promotional prices are available, noting that promotional prices are available on 60s and smaller—an excellent size for bagging.

Consumers across generations are picking up avocados from the grocer on a regular basis. Calavo is certainly prepared to meet this demand with a variety of Hass avocado sizes, packaging options including bagging, and year-round supply both domestic and international.

So next time you’re planogramming avocados, consider what shoppers are imagining; a fresh produce item for certain, but a current cultural icon as well.