Mission Produce Continues to Invest in Organic Avocado Program to Meet Growing Demand

Mission Produce has been offering organic avocados for well over a decade, and due to increasing demand for the organic fruit, the company continues to grow the category. 

“Mission is the go-to source for fresh, organically grown avocados,” said Megan Berenbach, Mission Produce’s director of sales. “We have mastered the art of growing, packing, and ripening certified organic avocados to meet the needs of our customers all year long.” 

Megan Berenbach, Director of Sales, Mission Produce

“Demand for organic avocados continues to grow, so Mission continues to invest additional resources into organic programs,” Berenbach said. “We work closely with our organic growers and lead by example with innovative production technology and best practices for organic production.” 

Berenbach said that while organics represent a relatively small portion of total US avocado sales and volume, the category is showing strong growth, with organic volume increasing twice as fast as conventional from 2018 to 2023, according to Circana MULO data.  

“Organic programs can also produce higher profit margins,” Berenbach said, noting that organic avocados currently sell for about 33 percent more than their conventional counterparts. “To capture organic shoppers that are willing to pay that premium, it’s important to use an effective merchandising strategy. For that reason, Mission Organics are distinctively packaged in purple, so shoppers can easily differentiate between organic and conventional on the shelf.” 

Berenbach said Mission recommends retailers place organic and conventional avocados side by side in eye-catching displays in order to boost organic avocado sales. 

“Bagged or packaged avocados are also a great way to capture the attention of organic avocado shoppers,” she said. “We know this consumer demographic appreciates a convenient, grab-and-go, high-value product, so we designed our bagged organic avocados to appeal to the organic avocado shopper. In fact, nearly two-thirds of avocado industry organic sales come from bagged organics!” 

Berenbach noted that competitive pricing is an important component of organic avocado success at retail. “Consumers look for deals on organics, so as the market fluctuates, retailers can take advantage of promotional opportunities,” she said. “The fall months going into early winter are one of the most advantageous times to promote organics, due to the strong Mexican supply. We use our industry intel to stay in-tune with the latest market trends, and we’re here to help our partners get the most out of their promotional programming.”  

With decades of experience in science-based avocado ripening, Mission Produce offers customers tailor-made ripening programs from its in-house team of Ripening Masters. “We develop customer-specific ripe programs to support retailer demand and promote a positive consumer experience with our avocados,” Berenbach said.   

According to AvoIntel (Mission’s in-house category management and marketplace intelligence service), 26 percent of shoppers say they’d buy more avocados at retail if there were more ripe ones available. To this end, Mission’s ripening centers are able to offer multi-stage fruit to its customers seven days a week and can fulfill orders for most North American customers within 24 hours. 

Founded in 1983, Mission Produce has been growing, packing, and shipping avocados for 40 years, and the company currently sources its avocados from the US (California), Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, and South Africa. 

“The fall months going into early winter are one of the most advantageous times to promote organics, due to the strong Mexican supply. We use our industry intel to stay in-tune with the latest market trends, and we’re here to help our partners get the most out of their promotional programming.” - Megan Berenbach

“Mission Produce is the world’s most advanced avocado network and a global leader in the worldwide avocado business,” said Berenbach. “Our global ripening and distribution network positions us as the preferred supplier because we lead with innovation in the avocado category and are dedicated to the profitable growth of our customers. We leverage our strategically located forward distribution network, vertical integration, and long-standing relationships with growers in premium growing regions to set the benchmark for quality and reliability.”