Cinco de Mayo Promotions Boost Late Start to California Avocado Season

The Cinco de Mayo holiday, May 5, which has long been associated with avocados and guacamole, provides the California Avocado Commission with an impactful means of building demand for California avocados by securing timely distribution of the fruit with targeted retailers. The Commission partners with retailers on Cinco de Mayo-themed retail promotions and sales contests, providing California avocado-branded bins and marketing assets to pique interest in the locally grown fruit.

With the later than typical start to the California avocado season this year, the Commission collaborated with its strongest retail partners, planning ahead to execute California avocado promotions. In total, approximately 1,408 stores representing the Albertsons-Vons, Bristol Farms, Draeger’s, Gelson’s, Mollie Stone’s, New Seasons Markets, Nugget Markets, Raley’s, Ralphs, Safeway NorCal, Sprouts and Supermercado mi Tierra chains promoted California avocados with various SKUs during the Cinco de Mayo holiday.

On May 3, the Fresh Market — a retailer with units in 22 states located across the East, South and Midwest — ran a digital ad featuring the California Avocados brand logo to support distribution of the fruit in 159 of its stores. From May 4- 7, Gelson’s provided shoppers in all 27 stores with samples of fresh sliced California avocados and their house-made guacamole complementing the promotion with custom signage and a social media giveaway.

The Commission also partnered with retailers on sales contests, which are especially beneficial as they encourage distribution of California avocados over a two- to three-week timeframe and feature larger eye-catching displays. Mollie Stone’s Markets, a regional specialty chain of stores, promoted both bulk and bagged Golden State fruit during a Cinco de Mayo sales contest. In addition, Sprouts Farmers Market kicked off a month-long sales contest in stores by celebrating Cinco de Mayo.