In the Hass Avocado Board's Q4 Avocado Holiday Retail Recap, the organization reports 167.5 million Hass avocados were sold during the Q4 holidays - generating $202.1 million in retail sales, the strongest fourth quarter performance in four years - and bagged avocados played a key role in the boost in retail sales. 

According to the research, throughout Q4’s key holidays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve, bagged avocados generated significant promotional lifts in multiple regions, generating an average of +18.1% lift in volume (pounds) sales, which accounted for +3.4M in actual promotional volume (pounds) lift.

Halloween was the holiday that generated the highest unit sales growth rate of any key avocado holiday of the year, surpassing the Big Game and Cinco de Mayo.

Graphic courtesy of Hass Avocado Board

Halloween added +4.5 million units to the category, contributing to the total incremental sales of +15.3 million units for the year. During the holiday, retail avocado sales hit a four-year high, reaching 45.8M in units and $55.5M, up +10.9% in units and +22.5% in dollar sales over the prior year.

The Great Lakes led in volume growth, increasing +43.2% in unit sales over 2023. Bagged avocados held 28.1% of unit share during the holiday, contributing +1.5M units to the category.

Thanksgiving sales reached their highest point in four years, topping 36.8M units and $45.1M, with bagged avocados holding the strongest promotional performance with a +13.5% lift in volume.

During Christmas, dollar sales grew by +$8.3M to $52.0M while unit sales rose by +1.1M units to 42.7M. Small avocados (4046) captured nearly half the unit share of total sales during the holiday week, with help from holiday promotions, and New Year's eve retail sales totaled $49.5M and 42.2M units, an +11.7% increase in dollar sales and a -7.0% decrease in units over 2023.

Bagged avocados held a 26.6% share of unit sales and a +9.8% growth rate in unit sales, while other PLUs declined.