Small avocado promotions propel 2024 summer holiday sales

The 2024 summer holidays demonstrated strong growth for avocado sales, achieving four-year highs at retail.

According to the latest Avocado Holiday Retail Recap by the Hass Avocado Board, unit sales increased by an average of 2.3%, while dollar sales soared 19% compared to the prior year. Combined, Independence Day and Labor Day generated 92.4 million units and $122.5 million in sales, according to a news release.

Small avocados drive growth

Small avocados (4046) fueled unit growth during the Independence Day and Labor Day weeks, supported by their large share of category sales and strong growth, the release said. Growth in small avocado sales was driven by promoted and nonpromoted sales, which added 5.7 million in total incremental units to the category.

The category had fewer promotions for 2024 summer holidays compared to 2023 but saw strong performance among promoted volume (pounds), according to the recap. Promotions for small avocados achieved particularly solid sales lift and outperformed large avocados (4225) and bags. Regionally, the Northeast recorded the highest volume (pounds) lift for small avocados during the third-quarter holidays.

Key highlights from the report include:

• Avocado dollar and unit sales surged during Independence Day, reaching $63.6 million in dollar sales, a 20.8% increase over the prior year. Unit sales climbed to 48.2 million, up 2.6% from the prior year, while the average selling price climbed to $1.32 per unit for the holiday. Small avocados were the key driver of unit growth during the holiday, contributing an additional 4 million units to the category.
• Labor Day avocado unit sales increased 2% to 44.2 million units while dollar sales rose 17.2% to $58.9 million. The average selling price rose to $1.33 per unit during the holiday week. Small avocados led unit growth for the holiday, adding 1.7 million in incremental units.

The Avocado Holiday Retail Recap provides detailed analyses of promoted and non-promoted volume (pounds) and dollar sales, pricing dynamics, lift metrics and promotional efficiency across various bulk avocado sizes and bagged avocados. Each report also details regional sales information providing insightful information for future holiday promotion planning, the release said.

The Hass Avocado Board said these findings underscore the growing consumer demand for avocados during key holidays and highlight the success of targeted promotional strategies. For a detailed overview of 2024 holiday sales performance, visit hassavocadoboard.com to download the full report.