Oxnard, California-based Mission Produce has begun to import some of the first avocados to the U.S. from the Mexican state of Jalisco. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new certification of Jalisco avocados for the U.S. market provides access to an additional supply source of the fruit, supporting the company in meeting domestic demand.
“We are pleased to expand on our longstanding partnerships with Jalisco growers to bring an enhanced supply of high-quality avocados to the U.S.,” said Keith Barnard, SVP of sales and sourcing at Mission. “Jalisco has supported our growing distribution in export markets since 2009, so we are in an optimal position to capitalize on the region’s access to the U.S. and strengthen supply consistency for our U.S. customer base.”
More than 600 orchards across 8,000 hectares of avocados in Jalisco were formally certified by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The Association of Exporting Producers of Aguacate de Jalisco anticipates growers to initially export three-to-five thousand tons of Hass avocados to the U.S. weekly.
The majority of Mission’s avocado imports from Jalisco will be routed through the company’s distribution center in Laredo, Texas, to the rest of Mission’s domestic network.
“Fruit from Jalisco is of superb quality – the region is home to highly skilled growers, professionally managed farms and high-producing trees,” said Rigo Perez, director of Mexico sourcing. “Additionally, Jalisco’s Mendez and Hass crops extend the season of avocados available to the U.S. by about six-to-eight weeks, so we look forward to leveraging the additional volume to complement our existing sourcing strategy in Michoacán.”
Barnard added, “After sourcing fruit from Jalisco for decades, we’re thrilled to be one of the first to introduce this premium product to the U.S. market. Avocados have become a staple of the U.S. diet, so increasing available supply supports further category growth.”
Mission Produce is a global leader in the worldwide avocado business. Since 1983, Mission Produce has been sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados to retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in more than 25 countries.
The company owns and operates four packing facilities in locations globally, including California, Mexico and Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Brazil, Ecuador and South Africa, which allow the company to provide a year-round supply of fruit.
For more information, visit missionproduce.com.
