The 2026 California avocado season is underway and Calavo is optimistic about the outlook for the crop and retailing opportunities. The company reports that the season is shaping up quite well, with favorable growing conditions and solid demand expected to support the market through the spring and summer months.

“California season looks good, roughly 330 million pounds of fruit,” said vice president of product management, Peter Shore, “It’s off to a slow start, and we should see better volumes in mid to late March.” he added. 

During the early part of the season sizing will lean toward smaller fruit, around 48 to 84. While the avocado industry typically emphasizes larger sizes, smaller fruit has its own advantages at retail. Smaller avocados make it easier for retailers to maintain attractive prices, encouraging purchase, keeping California avocados value centered. When price per fruit is higher, demand often slows, so smaller products should help retailers stay within the price range many shoppers prefer. It also aligns well with modern consumption habits, as many consumers prefer avocados that have smaller servings for toast, salads and snacks, in turn reducing food waste and encouraging repeat purchases. 

According to Shore, demand for avocados in the US reached a record high in 2025, surpassing 3 billion pounds of fruit. The addition of bagged formats is one reason for this upward trend, subsequently creating one of the fastest growing packaging formats of the avocado business. Bags offer more convenience for shoppers that wish to simplify weekly meal planning, while encouraging larger purchases. 

In response to the increase in growth, Calavo is introducing several marketing strategies. Shore explained they suggest retailers stock both bagged and bulk options together, while adding signage displaying “ripe now” and “ripe later” fruit. These approaches work in tandem, as consumers will often purchase a bag of soon-to-be ripe avocados, while also adding a single, ripe avocado to use later in the day. Calavo recommends retailers also incorporate smaller and larger sizings separately, as to accommodate different shoppers’ budgets and needs.Looking ahead, California weather conditions are expected to continue to be ideal for a successful avocado harvest. Plenty of rain and limited wind and cold weather have created excellent conditions across the state. Further into the summer months, around the Fourth of July, larger sizes in the 30s and low 40s will become more plentiful, with the Lamb Hass variety starting around that time as well, extending what looks to be a very steady supply of fruit through the late parts of the season.