South Africa’s growers are issuing a rallying cry to UK-based retailers this summer with the launch of the trade’s first Avocado Manifesto.

Released under the title ‘Give consumers what they want and sell more avocados’, the manifesto is designed to help drive growth in the category and stimulate sales.

Based on consumer research conducted during the 2011 South African avocado season, the manifesto is supported by growers and some of the UK’s key players, and targets everyone from importers and pre-packers to category buyers and store managers.

“The Avocado Manifesto is not about preaching – it’s about taking practical steps to improve performance in avocado retailing,” said Rob Metcalfe, managing director of long-time Summer Avocado campaign creator Richmond Towers Communications. “We want to challenge some of the common perceptions the trade has about consumer attitudes towards avocados, and ensure that as an industry we are puling together to tackle some of these barriers to market growth. Our aim with this campaign is to ensure we put avocados firmly back on the retail map.

The 2012 South African crop estimate is 12.5m cartons (50,000 tonnes), of which 45 per cent will be greenskin and 55 per cent will be Hass, significantly up on the 6.7m cartons exported last year.

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