Avocados from Peru has had a busy season — participating in a number of high-profile events designed to drive awareness of the superfruit all year long. Most recently, Avocados from Peru was a sponsor of the SoCal Taco Fest in San Diego's Waterfront Park, Aug. 17, which featured performances by Vanilla Ice, Smash Mouth and Los Amigos Invisibles.
The event also included an Avocados from Peru and Grocery Outlet “Guac-Off” competition composed of four consumer finalists who whipped up their best homemade guacamole in front of thousands of attendees in a head-to-head competition for the Silver Avocado Trophy and a $400 gift voucher, said Xavier Equihua, president and CEO of the Peruvian Avocado Commission.
“Events like these help to create awareness and growth for the avocado category,” Equihua told The Packer. “Even with Peruvian avocado exports down slightly because of El Niño, we need to make noise through these signature programs.”
San Diego is one of the biggest markets for avocado consumption, added Equihua, which is a key reason Avocados from Peru also chose the city as a destination for one of its annual food bank donations and celebrity guacamole competitions.
This year, Avocados from Peru celebrated National Avocado Day, July 31, with its second annual media celebrity Guac-Off Challenge, a friendly and delicious competition between TV and radio personalities in San Diego. It also made a donation of 100,000 avocados to The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank, which serves some 400,000 people a month.
The avocados were delivered in a Grocery Outlet semi-truck that was custom wrapped with logos of the retailer, Avocados from Peru and the food bank and featured the AFP slogan “Fighting Hunger with Nutrition.”
“We started this concept of donating 100,000 avocados to food banks as well as holding annual guacamole challenges,” said Equihua. “We donate 100,000 avocados to area food banks because we want to give back to the community, be good stewards and offer the ultimate superfood to the nutritiously challenged who rely on food banks that rarely receive avocado donations.”
Seven teams from local radio and TV stations, competed in the second annual Guac-Off Challenge at the food bank warehouse. Kacey McKinnon and Brandon Stone of KUSI News San Diego were announced as the 2024 Guac-Off Challenge champions.
“The celebrity Guac-Off Challenge is a unique event because the media competes against each other, which creates so much buzz,” said Equihua, who added that some 14 media outlets reported the event in San Diego alone.
This year, in addition to San Diego, Chicago served as a venue for an Avocados from Peru Guac-Off Challenge and food bank donation.
AFP marks first Chicago guac challenge
The Chicago Fire Football Club and Avocados from Peru, in collaboration with Mariano's, hosted the first Guac-Off Challenge ever held in Chicago.Held at the Greater Chicago Food Depository, the Guacamole Challenge pitted five teams of Chicago Fire first team players and local media members against each other to make the tastiest, unique guacamole recipe.
As part of the Guacamole Challenge, Avocados from Peru donated 100,000 avocados to the Greater Chicago Food Depository to support local food banks and shelters as part of their mission to “Fight Hunger with Nutrition.”
The city's first Guacamole Challenge featured five culinary teams of two, including Chicago Fire defender Justin Reynolds and FOX 32 “Good Day Chicago” co-anchor Natalie Bomke; Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady and WGN Morning News “Around Town” reporter Ana Belaval; defender Chase Gasper and 94.7 WLS-AM radio host Cara Carriveau; defender Jonathan Dean and On Tap Sports soccer reporter Joe Chatz; and midfielder Fabian Herbers with media personality Candace Jordan.
Reynolds and Bomke took home top honors for their unique guacamole recipe.