THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM From
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Fall 2020 From the GrThe Latest News from the California ve Avocado Industry THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM Read more on page 32 Photo credt; Yvette Roman Photography Grower Profile Molly and John Chester 32 Moorpark, CA Photo credit; Yvette Roman Photography From the Grove Fall 2020 Volume 10, Number 3 In This Issue President 10 Marketing in a Time of Upheaval Tom Bellamore Departments CA Avocado Commission 12 Living Well with California Avocados 4 Message from the President Editor Program Delivers Tim Linden 6 Chairman’s Report Champ Publishing 925.258.0892 16 Advanced Avocado Rootstock Selections 8 Issues Watch [email protected] Move to Commercial-Scale Field Trials 22 California AvoTech Ad Sales 62 Global Perspectives Tom Fielding 18 CAC Retail Promotions 626.437.4619 [email protected] Continue Despite Pandemic Design/Layout Heather Gray 26 Commission’s Foodservice Promotions Support a Volume 10, Number 3 Fall 2020 User Friendly, Ink. Struggling Industry During Pandemic [email protected] FROM THE GROVE is published quarterly by California Avocado Commission; 12 Mauchly, April Aymami 30 CAC’s Social Media Campaigns Suite L; Irvine, CA 92618. Postmaster: Industry Affairs Director Send address changes to California Avocado 949.754.0738 Address Consumer Concerns [email protected] Commission; 12 Mauchly, Suite L; Irvine, CA 32 Avocados Take Center Stage at Biggest Little Farm 92618. Grower Profile Avocado Lace Bug Biology and Control 35 The articles, opinions and advertisements presented in this mag- azine are designed to offer information and provoke thought. Hass Avocado Board/Cirad World Avocado Inclusion in this publication does not presume an endorsement 38 or recommendation by the California Avocado Commission for Production Prospects – California in Transition any particular product or cultural practice. www.californiaavocadogrowers.com FFallall 2020 / From the Grove / 3 Message from the President Still Here, and Still Marketing Tom Bellamore ith the cancellation of the crop has kept the motor running well about California avocados. Although annual meetings earlier in into the fall. Late season advertising the pandemic brought an abrupt end the year and the continuing and promotion have been possible this to in-store demos or product sampling, WCOVID-19 pandemic, California Avo- year, in part because of a stalled period such as those conducted by Costco, opt- cado Commission (CAC) staff are be- in March, and those growers who held in emails to a retailer’s loyalty custom- ginning to miss going out to the field. fruit for the autumn window should en- ers, digital coupons, and Instagram and We’ve had grower contact, of course— joy retail and consumer pull at a time Pinterest postings have swept in to fill calls about problems at the local water when it typically begins to shift to im- the void, reaching consumers where district, imported fruit volumes, and ports. Examples include scheduled they spend their time online. Veteran market conditions during the 2020 sea- promotions with New Seasons Markets CAC RMD Dave Anderson, whose fo- son still occur routinely—but it’s dif- in the Northwest and with The Fresh cus is on large national (corporate) ac- ferent now. We’d prefer to have these Market, which has 159 stores across 15 counts and regional retailers in the Mid- conversations under the shade of an states; both retail partners, and others, west, Southeast and Texas, commented avocado tree. have committed to California sourcing to the board that the contrast between In place of that, your staff and late in the season this year. the phone not ringing (from retail ac- board have become adept at online As CAC Retail Marketing Direc- counts) in March and the level of retail meetings, and this same tool is relied tor (RMD) Carolyn Becker reported at promotional activity by mid-summer upon to conduct business with key retail the August Commission board meeting, was astounding and unlike anything he and foodservice accounts, and to plan the landscape of retail promotions has had ever experienced. next year’s campaign with the Com- been changing over the past few years, The struggling foodservice sector mission’s marketing agencies. When and the current pandemic has sped up left California without a home for much you see a business partner on-screen, its pace. Retailers now employ a multi- of our smaller size fruit, and weakened after days or weeks of not speaking with faceted approach to communicating prices as a result, but now, well into them, it’s always positive and something with their customers and promoting the pandemic, we’re beginning to see of a relief. It’s as if we are all thinking: various products and brands. The use increased promotional activity among “We are safe, well, and happy to be mov- of digital marketing (product offers, these accounts. The Commission part- ing forward despite the tremendous so- coupons) and social media has prolif- nered with eight new restaurant chains cietal upheaval we’ve all experienced.” erated, reaching younger shoppers and this year spanning California: Ike’s The current marketing season has spurring impulse buying. Love & Sandwiches, Norm’s Restau- presented challenges and there have These changes mesh well with the rants, Mixt, Islands Restaurants, Eric’s been market fluctuations we could have Commission’s ability to provide retail- DeliCafe, Sharky’s Wood Fired Mexi- done without. Retailer enthusiasm ers with custom content (streaming can Grill, Super Duper Burgers and about stocking and supporting Cali- video, recipes or photo assets, for exam- Wahoo Fish Tacos, some of whom we fornia avocados has been refreshingly ple) for their websites or social media have been courting for several seasons. robust and the larger-than-average platforms, including tailored messaging A common thread among these chains 4 / From the Grove / Fall 2020 Board of Directors District 1 Member/Jessica Hunter Member/ Ryan Rochefort-Vice Chairman Alternate/Michael Perricone is their alignment on the use of quality, the consumer, particularly in the digi- fresh, local ingredients — a perfect fit tal realm and on social media, occurs District 2 for California avocados. Among the re- throughout the year and particularly turning keystone foodservice partners when our fruit is in season, keeping us Member/Charley Wolk Member/Ohannes Karaoghlanian were Del Taco, Rubio’s, Habit Burger, engaged with loyal customers and those Alternate/John Cornell Denny’s and Flame Broiler. The loss of seeking California avocados for the first dine-in traffic set the foodservice indus- time. District 3 try back considerably, but the shift to This past spring, the Califor- online ordering and curbside delivery nia avocado growers, like many other Member/John Lamb-Chairman Member/Robert Grether-Treasurer has opened promotional opportunities business operators, were in jeopardy. Alternate/John Lloyd-Butler via these partners’ websites and social Foodservice sales dried up, there was media platforms. As with retail, there tremendous instability in the retail sec- District 4 will be late season foodservice promo- tor, and the economy seriously faltered. tions to support the crop into fall, nota- Hopes were high prior to the pandemic Member/Ed McFadden Member/Jason Cole-Secretary bly with Wahoo Fish Tacos and Islands and we all looked forward to a strong Alternate/Doug O’Hara Restaurants. season because the crop size was highly Retail and foodservice promotion “marketable.” A few months later, the District 5 is just one part of what the Commission industry started to turn a corner; mar- Member/Salvador Dominguez does each season to support California keting efforts adjusted to the new situ- Member/Randy Douglas avocado growers and move the crop. ation and began to gain momentum. Alternate/Daryn Miller Promotions with these key trade ac- Because of the resiliency of California counts strive to influence the consumer avocado growers, the industry’s pack- Handlers where the transaction occurs. Other ac- ers, Commission staff, agencies, and Member/Gary Caloroso tivities aim to set the stage for consumer our trade partners, we went from near Member/Peter Shore purchases of California avocados, by despair to a point where we are now Alternate/Connor Huser keeping awareness of our product top- tracking to have the third highest crop of-mind and ensuring that consumers value in the industry’s history—a figure Public Member perceive our brand favorably. Con- close to $417 million. Daniella Malfitano sumer advertising, public relations, And if that’s possible with a pan- nutrition-oriented communications demic raging, then there is every reason and other, high-impact outreach activi- to believe that greater gains, still, can To contact a CAC representative, please visit: ties round out the marketing work of be made when we someday get back to CaliforniaAvocadoGrowers.com/Commission/your-representatives the Commission each season. Courting business as usual. Fall 2020 / From the Grove / 5 Chairman’s Report An Extraordinary Year John Lamb he avocado season is winding for next year. At this point, we are an- moments when things changed. Tom down with most of the fruit out ticipating a smaller crop, with a higher Bellamore has been the right person at of the north or far north at this per pound value. Last year, we were able the right time and, in my opinion, has Tpoint. To say it has been an interesting to drop the assessment from the prior done an extraordinary job as CEO of year is an understatement of vast pro- years, and I hope we can do so again. the Commission. He has assembled a portions. All things considered, the year CAC will have ample reserves and they top notch staff and they work very well has turned out to be much better than are probably higher than we really need. as a team. Jan DeLyser is, of course, the I would have believed back in March I will be advocating for a lower assess- consummate professional and has kept when the pandemic started.