The future of avocados lies not only in fresh fruit

The industry will continue to depend on fresh fruit, but its future will also depend on its ability to process, innovate, and add value.

One discussion at our policy meeting concerned the growth of avocado oil and the opportunities for processed products. For a long time, part of the industry has focused on shipping fresh fruit to distant markets.

However, this model faces limitations. Prolonged transport can damage the fruit and reduce returns for producers and exporters. Furthermore, some of the produce may be rejected for the fresh market due to its appearance, size, or ripeness, even though it retains value as raw material.

Avocado oil offers an alternative way to utilize this fruit and build new businesses. For origins like Kenya, where some journeys can take several weeks, processing could reduce reliance on distant fresh produce markets.

But oil isn't the only opportunity. The production of guacamole and other derivatives using technologies like high hydrostatic pressure (HPP) opens a conversation about food safety, shelf life, product preservation, and export standards.

During September, we want to continue monitoring this transformation. We are interested in learning which countries are developing processing capacity, which companies are entering these businesses, and what opportunities exist for producers who depend on fresh fruit.

We will also be observing the upcoming avocado oil congress and the movements it generates among companies and producing countries. This focus aligns with another of Avobook's editorial goals: to talk more frequently about the companies that are changing the industry, in order to understand where investment is heading, which origins are gaining importance, and how supply chains are being built.

The industry will continue to rely on fresh fruit. But its future will also depend on its ability to process, innovate, and make better use of production.