AFM President Alvaro Luque’s excitement for this coming season’s promotional programs was as palpable as the energy surrounding his organization’s booth during the recent IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show.

In one corner of the booth, show attendees lined up for restaurant-quality avocado toast featuring gourmet ingredients, while another queue at the opposite end was full of people awaiting handmade tacos including, of course, Mexican avocados. There was also avocado gelato available for those whose cravings leaned more to the sweet and refreshing side.

The VIPs who were invited to the upper level of the booth had a chance to learn more about the College Football Playoff sponsorship program, before walking away with a one-of-a-kind football card adorned with their own likeness.

It was impossible to miss the wall with a larger-than-life image of AFM’s new celebrity spokesperson, Rob Riggle, who will assume the role as “Guac Guru,” lending his comedic talents to help drive home AFM’s message that Mexico is the leading authority on all things avocado.

“We will return to a more normal year with a lot of fruit and good sizing, so we wanted to do some special things to help promote this outstanding crop,” he said, adding that he believes the country could register a record 2.5 billion-pound crop during the upcoming season. “We’re seeing no indications of any quality problems, and the rains we experienced in Mexico were welcome, as they helped bring up the fruit sizing after a couple of off years.”

Big Game and CFP

Football has long been a key element in AFM’s promotional playbook, and this year the organization is doubling down with a major push for both the College Football Playoffs as well as the Big Game, with initiatives designed to help move tons of fruit.

“Guac penetration has always been very high for the Big Game, but not always for the College Football Playoff series,” said Luque.

Luque said that AFM’s status as the official avocado brand of the CFP will be supported by its “Always A Good Play” campaign that will deliver a win for both consumers and retailers alike.

As part of the campaign, which runs from Nov. 3 through Jan. 19, participating shoppers will receive a $2 discount on the purchase of four avocados through the Snap and Snack activation, whereby consumers can scan any brand of chip bag to receive the instant coupon at any of the 4,500 Kroger and Albertsons locations nationwide.

“Guac needs chips and chips need guac,” said Luque, who added that shoppers are expected to make 1.6 billion visits to the snack aisles at retailers during college football season, and AFM is looking to capitalize on that with its program. He said the promotion is especially unique since avocados are not usually promoted in center-store.

Additionally, shoppers who participate are registered for a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience to attend the 2026 CFP National Championship Game as a guest of AFM and watch from the Avocados from Mexico Guac Box Suite at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.

Luque added that AFM will be sponsoring the University of Georgia for the second straight year and will be doing an on-field activation Nov. 15 during the nationally televised game vs. Texas, which will air on ESPN, giving AFM a major presence on the country’s top sports network.

Guac Guru to debut

Luque said the new Guac Guru character, which will be brought to life by popular comedic actor Rob Riggle, will offer sage advice and predictions about avocados and football in his inimitable way, while injecting some fun and relatability into AFM’s Big Game campaign.

“Rob is perfect for the Guac Guru role and working with him has been a pleasure from the start,” said Luque. “He was very interested from the beginning, and as a trained actor he was able to adapt to the role immediately. He gets into character and the jokes start flowing naturally.”

The Guac Guru program kicks off Jan. 19 and runs through Feb. 8, aligning perfectly with Big Game party prep season.

ADA partnership

Luque announced that AFM will partner with the American Diabetes Association in 2026 to continue demonstrating AFM’s commitment to health and wellness. This builds on AFM’s partnership with the American Heart Association and its ongoing alignment with Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer.

Luque said more details will follow about the ADA partnership, but AFM is a strong supporter.

“We wanted to get behind another big cause to make a positive change in America,” he said. “Diabetes and heart disease are major health concerns, especially with the Hispanic population, which accounts for 30-40 percent of avocado consumption in the United States. So, it was close to home for us.”

Cinco de Tuesday

Cinco de Mayo and Taco Tuesday are events that each bring spikes in avocado consumption, but what happens when Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday? We’ll find out in 2026.

“This year, Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday, which only happens every six years,” said Luque. “People don’t tend to do much pre-planning, but for this special year we’ll be pushing consumption of avocados via tacos.”

World Cup

Finally, 2026 brings the World Cup to North America, and Luque teased a big program to help shine the spotlight on Avocados From Mexico during one of the biggest sporting events in the world.

“We’ll be unveiling a very cool program this coming summer around the World Cup,” he said. “Without revealing too much, it’s safe to say we’ll be the biggest player from a produce perspective.”