IRVINE, Calif. (January 4, 2012) — Each year, Big Game is one of the largest consumption occasions of the year for Hass avocados, and this year is no exception. The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) is estimating that 71.4 million pounds of fruit will be consumed by fans during this year’s Big Game festivities. To further encourage consumer purchases of avocados during this key sales period, HAB is implementing a multi-platform marketing campaign that highlights how Hass avocados can be incorporated into Big Game party menus.
“With more than 71 million pounds of avocados expected to be consumed during game time this year, the Big Game provides a great opportunity for retailers to build higher basket rings by displaying avocados with complementary produce,” said Jimmy Lotufo, chairman of HAB. “Guacamole has become a staple at Big Game parties, and HAB helps encourage even stronger avocado demand by offering consumers produce-rich recipes and creative usage ideas.”
To further support the tie between Hass avocados and the Big Game, this year, HAB is sponsoring the Taste of the NFL®. Since 1992, the Taste of the NFL® has attracted the country’s top chefs and football’s greatest talent to raise money in support of food banks throughout the United States. The efforts culminate on the eve of the Big Game at Party with a Purpose®, an annual wine and food event featuring a chef from each NFL® city serving their signature dish alongside a current or alumni NFL® player. HAB will be working directly with Atlanta-based chef Kevin Rathbun to feature a Duck Tostada with Hass Avocados and Pasilla Chile Sauce for the philanthropic event. Rathbun is an award-winning and notable American chef of restaurants Rathbun’s®, Krog Bar® and Kevin Rathbun Steak®.
HAB’s Big Game program includes extensive online and social media outreach, including a micro site, Sports.AvocadoCentral.com, which will serve as a resource for consumers planning their Big Game parties. The site will feature game day entertaining tips and two new recipes, including Spiced Won Tons with Hass Avocado Dipping Sauce and produce-rich Tropical Salsa Guacamole, as well as other recipes that are perfect for Big Game parties. Consumers also will have the opportunity to share their recipes on popular social networking sites or via email, as well as save their favorite recipes in one location in their personal “recipe playbook.” Traffic will be driven to the site through online and social media advertising, inclusion in HAB’s subscriber e-newsletter and via a social media promotion with the theme, “Build Your Big Game Party with Hass Avocados.” HAB’s Facebook® and Twitter® pages will feature trivia games where fans can win an avocado cutter. Social media games, recipe contests and creative avocado usage ideas have helped build HAB’s Facebook® page to more than 40,000 Hass avocado fans.
About the Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) was established in 2002 to promote the consumption of Hass avocados in the United States. A 12-member board representing domestic producers and importers of Hass avocados directs the HAB’s promotion, research and information programs under supervision of the United States Department of Agriculture. Hass avocados are grown in California and imported into the US from Mexico, Chile, Peru, Dominican Republic and New Zealand.
