Mission expects robust California avocado season

Tim Linden

March 20, 2025

With California avocado shipments already underway, Mission Produce Co. is expecting a solid season featuring some of the strongest California harvest weeks leading up to the Cinco de Mayo and the Fourth of July promotional periods, according to Senior Director of Sales Galen Johnson.

"California season is off to an early start,” he told The Produce News on March 4. “This year, we expect California season to last through the summer with strong harvests peaking around June."

He added that the “market is ready for California avocados, and the industry expects excellent marketing conditions for the season. Supply and demand are in sync, quality is looking good, and the current size curve suggests a lot of opportunities for small and medium fruit.”

Mission offers both organic and conventional California avocados in several bulk and bag options. “We have our World’s Finest Avocados and Mission Minis,” Johnson said. “For larger avocados, we have our Mission Jumbos. And for our category two ‘beautifully blemished’ avocados, we offer our Emeralds in the Roughin bags and bulk, which are perfect for foodservice.”

He also noted that Mission is bringing back its limited-edition Gem bags this year. “With their creamy texture and buttery, nutty flavor, these avocados are sure to be the highlight of your produce section.”

In fact, he said the eating quality of all California avocados is excellent this season.

Johnson revealed that Mission work with hundreds of growers along the Pacific coast to cultivate high-quality, high-producing trees. “Most of our California avocados stay close to home,” he added, noting that the majority are delivered to customers on the West Coast, and almost half stay within the state. “California avocado supply is expected to be strong in time for retail promotions around the Cinco de Mayo and Fourth of July holidays.”

Discussing industry trends, Johnson said the organic avocado category continues to resonate with consumers and has become an important and profitable sector of the avocado category. “In fact, organic avocados in the U.S. are outpacing the growth of conventional avocados– and even organic produce overall,” Johnson said.

He reported that in 2024, organic avocado volume sales in the U.S. marketplace increased by 19 percent compared to 2023. “This upcoming spring and summer, the industry expects a promotable supply of organic avocados out of California,” Johnson said. “Organic avocado shoppers spend 89 percent more on avocados a year than conventional avocado shoppers. So, marketing to this target demographic is an important strategy at retail.”

The Oxnard, CA-based company takes a world view of the avocado category and is focused on supplying many different markets. “With ripening and distribution in both the UK (United Kingdom) and The Netherlands, Mission is strategically positioned to serve a majority of the European market,” he said. “We’re not only watching the growth drivers behind this uptick in consumption, but we’re contributing to it. As a global leader in the worldwide avocado business, we keep an eye on the growing popularity of avocados around the globe.”

Johnson added that the European market is a growing market. “Last year, Europe accounted for more than a third of global avocado imports, and those imports keep growing,” he said. “We’re well-positioned to grow with rising global demand. With the great growth potential in Europe and globally, we continue to grow supply and expand distribution.”

Tim Linden

About Tim Linden |

Tim Linden grew up in a produce family as both his father and grandfather spent their business careers on the wholesale terminal markets in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Tim graduated from San Diego State University in 1974 with a degree in journalism. Shortly thereafter he began his career at The Packer where he stayed for eight years, leaving in 1983 to join Western Growers as editor of its monthly magazine. In 1986, Tim launched Champ Publishing as an agricultural publishing specialty company.

Today he is a contract publisher for several trade associations and writes extensively on all aspects of the produce business. He began writing for The Produce News in 1997, and currently wears the title of Editor at Large.

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