News Archive

Year 2010

• July
  • New advertising campaign for Tesco
  • Picota cherries make late arrival
• June
  • Harrods promotes Pakistani mangoes
  • Price war stirs up pineapple market
• May
  • Morrisons sees Growth Slowdown
  • Latest Kantar Data shows Ongoing Premium Purchasing Trend
• April
  • Chile Revises Kiwifruit Forecast
  • M&S reports Q4 success
• March
  • Turkey builds reputation to become key UK supplier
  • Fairtrade First for Univeg
• February
  • Record year for Chilean Hass Avos
  • Morrisons Continues Market Growth

Year 2009

• November
  • M&S Targets Waitrose
• October
  • High hopes for Israeli Avos
  • Waitrose Reveals convenience ambitions
• September
  • Fairtrade Still Winning Public Support
  • Morrisons Records Profit Boost
• August
  • Avocado Supplies Run Tight
  • On the Road to Recovery
• July
  • Discounters - Broadening their appeal
  • TNS Figures Shows Market Solid as Discounter Growth Slows
• June
  • Turkish cherry comeback
  • Europe Set to Welcome RSA Sharonfruit
• May
  • From the Ground Up
  • NW cherries poised for record volume
  • TNS figures show resilient grocery sector
• April
  • Spanish Stonefruit crops thrive
  • South African Avos hit UK
  • Organics sector remains stoical
  • TNS figures demonstrate solid market growth in grocery
• March
  • Tesco and Sainsbury's clash over pricing
  • Apricot crop dodges freeze damage
  • Upbeat Morrisons sees profit rise
  • Raw deal for Fairtrade farms
• February
  • Asda cuts ranges to discount prices
  • European Production of kiwi season 2008/09
  • Exotics traders prepare for period of belt-tightening
  • TNS figures indicate strong start 2009 for grocery
  • Peruvian avocado exports to grow in the next years
• January
  • Morrisons tops Christmas figures
  • TNS figures show 6% final quarter for grocery
  • UK Christmas Trading Analysis
  • Chilean avocados take a plunge

Year 2008

• December
  • Good crop boosts South Africa's plum drive
  • Katopé Malet Azoulay – Name Change
  • Morrisons show healthy growth in testing times
  • Malet Azoulay joins UNIVEG

Chilean avocados take a plunge

MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers fronts the promotional campaign for the Chilean Hass Avocado Association for 2008/9. The campaign highlights the uses and health benefits of the fruit as well as providing recipes for Avocado dishes. Although the volume of fruit is down on last year, the UK continues to benefit from the promotional support and good quality fruit shipments.

The Chilean Hass Avocado Association has had to drastically cut its production forecast for the 2008/09 season, following an audit of avocado groves in Chile.

According to the association, total exports of Hass avocados from Chile will total around 85,000 tonnes this season, lower than originally predicted when groves were surveyed in May.

Sub-zero temperatures caused widespread frost damage to Chile's avocado groves last season causing damage to production this year.

The association said exports to Europe will fall from last season's level of 28,000t to around 16-17,000t. The UK should receive between 4,500t and 5,000t.

Adolfo Ochagavía, president of the Chilean Hass Avocado Association, said: "This season we have felt the effects of last year's unseasonable frost on production of Chilean Hass avocados. The domestic market has also been particularly active. However, as avocado groves recover and new tree plantings come on stream, we expect strong volumes in the 2009/10 season.

"Throughout, we are continuing to support the UK market with high quality shipments and our strong promotional campaign. There remains huge potential to grow this market further still in season to come," he said.

The Chilean Hass Avocado Association is running its fourth campaign to promote Chilean avocados in the UK market during the 2008/09 season.This year's campaign, fronted by previous Masterchef winner and co-owner of two Wahaca restaurants, Thomasina Miers, focuses on the culinary uses of Hass avocados in addition to their health benefits.