The U.S.-based Hass Avocado Board (HAB) has found the variety it represents was a key driver for the avocado category in 2012, achieving US$1.4 billion in sales.

The board's latest study, titled 'Retail Sales Opportunity Analysis: Distribution and Sales of Greenskin and Hass Avocados', found Hass account for 94% of retail avocado dollars and volume.

Most of the remaining avocados were Greenskins, accounting for around 5% of sales in the category, with contributions fluctuating less than one point during a three-year study.

"Hass avocados continue to be the predominant selling variety, driving category growth year-over-year," Hass Avocado Board executive director Emiliano Escobedo said.

"The study shows that Hass avocados are in a favorable position with greater distribution and higher per-store averages of avocado sales, and accounted for $1.4 billion in retail dollars in 2012."

The board found that with a similar selling price for both varieties, retailers who merchandised Hass avocados had significantly higher dollar sales. For 2012, the per-week retail dollar average of  US$151 for the Hass variety was more than 10 times the US$13 average registered for Greenskins.

Hass avocados’ top three PLUs accounted for 1.1 billion units while Greenskin’s top three PLUs amounted to 32.9 million units."

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