St. Patrick’s Day drove higher avocado volume, according to a first quarter holiday report released July 6 by the Mission Viejo, California-based Hass Avocado Board.
The holiday retail recap details dollar sales, volume and average price for Hass avocados during the weeks of the Big Game, Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day.
The reported sales volume and retail dollar sales reached 51.9 million units and $52.2 million during the dual holiday week of the Big Game and Valentine’s Day and 45.1 million units and $45.4 million during St. Patrick’s Day.
Avocado volume during St. Patrick’s Day grew by 20 percent over the prior year, adding 7.4 million units to the category.
Other key highlights from the report include:
Big Game and Valentine’s Day
- Avocado dollar sales during the dual holidays reached $52.2 million, lower than the prior year due in part to a lower average sale price of $1.01/unit. Compared to 2020, the dual event grew by 3 percent in dollar sales.
- Similarly, avocado unit sales remained relatively flat at 51.9 million units during the dual event week compared to the prior year. Avocado units did grow 36 percent for Valentine’s Day versus 2020, bolstered by its proximity to the Big Game.
- The Plains region showed the highest volume growth for the holiday week, posting an increase of 15 percent in unit sales versus the prior year.
- Nationally, avocado retailers saw average weekly sales of $1,385 and 1,375 units per store during this week. Per store, sales and units were highest out West.
- Extra-large avocado units were up by 58 percent during the dual holiday week. Together, large and extra-large PLUs contributed an additional 4.6 million units to the category versus 2022.
St. Patrick’s Day
- Avocado unit sales rose to 45.1 million units, up 20 percent versus 2022.
- Avocado dollars decreased by 15 percent to $45.4 million during the holiday week compared to the previous year, while the total U.S. avocado average sell price fell 29 percent to $1.01/unit.
- All regions contributed to the unit growth of avocados, up $7.4 million units, with the Great Lakes region contributing 40 percent at 1.6 million units to the category.
- Bagged avocados made up 29 percent of category units. Large, extra-large and bagged avocados posted double-digit unit growth.
HAB releases a holiday avocado recap report each quarter, covering avocado sales trends for the corresponding holidays and events. It details sales data for the U.S. during specified holiday weeks, providing information for future holiday promotion planning.
