The Association of Growers and Exporter Packers of Mexican Avocados (APEAM) is this season aiming to increase exports to Europe and other markets, in addition to boosting the boom in the U.S. 

Armando López, General Director of the Association said: “Our proposal is to find a fast route from Mexico to Europe which reduces the arrival through the Port of Rotterdam by 12 or 14 days because we have very important markets in Europe, in countries like France and Spain. Although there are new players in Europe, we want to stand out for the preference and quality of the Mexican avocado.”

The expert highlighted that the Association wants to reconquer markets through logistics, and also to grow in the East, in countries like China and Korea, as well as boost the consumption of avocados in Russia and Arab countries.

New strategies are aiming to match the boom in the Mexican avocado industry in the U.S., where consumption went from approximately 500 grams of avocado in the year 2000, to 4 kilos of avocado per capita. 

This growth, said Lopez, is thanks to good advertising campaigns in two important areas, the Anglo-Saxon market, i.e. the Americans themselves and the Latin American market, which has been a loyal consumer and has made the Mexican avocado the preferred avocado throughout America. 

"These have been the guiding axes of growth. Today we are exporting 1.2 million tons," he added.

The General Director of APEAM also explained the importance of advertising for the Super Bowl: "every year, together with the Executive Board of Avocados From Mexico, we meet in Boston to define the advertising strategies and messages for the Super Bowl. 

“We use the most important U.S. stores to advertise Mexican avocados in the U.S. We rely on artists, chefs and well-known people to make it more attractive for consumers to select and buy their avocados.”

In addition, prices have remained high in the U.S. market. López detailed that they have been working on advertising because when avocado exports from Mexico began, a tax of 2.5 cents per pound was charged upon entry to the United States, which makes up a fund that is sent to the Hass Avocado Board. 

"For every dollar the Hass Avocado Board receives, they send us Mexican hass avocado importers 85 cents of every dollar. With that resource plus the one we send from APEAM to our agency called Avocados From Mexico, which is in Dallas, the advertising budget is made," said Lopez.

This season, "we are noticing compensation through e-commerce sales. Perhaps because of the confinement, many people chose to eat avocado, thinking of eating healthily at home. The pandemic boosted avocado consumption through e-commerce, and fortunately consumption did not fall."