The Colombia Avocado Board said it plans to continue expanding its footprint in the U.S. through partnerships with national retailers and foodservice operators.

The organization's recent partnership with retailer Weis Markets Inc. and their joint promotion, the Heart of Colombia Avocado Display Contest, was designed to drive consumer excitement and increase impulse avocado purchases. 

The retailer's Produce Managers were challenged to create eye-catching displays that placed Avocados From Colombia at the center of their department, incentivized by up to $7200 in gift card prizes on the line. The competition ran from March 27 through April 23, and the promotion was activated in 200 Weis stores across three regions. 

Mathew Forbes, Avocado Buyer at Weis Markets, LLC, said national Weis stores "were excited to introduce Colombian avocados into the category in the last year and to promote their rich flavor and versatility." 

The competition brought store teams' creativity to life, who leveraged cross-merchandising with lemons, mangos, and other complementary produce to highlight avocado versatility and help drive sales, the Colombia Avocado Board said. 

“The contest energized our stores and encouraged collaboration across departments. More importantly, it gave our staff the confidence to highlight the story of Avocados From Colombia and helped them better connect with customers,” Forbes added.

The campaign timing aligned with key spring holidays including Easter, Earth Day, and Cinco de Mayo, key holidays for avocado sales.

According to the Hass Avocado Board, avocado dollar sales in Q2-2024, when the promotion between the organization was still active, reached their highest levels of the year.