Brooks Tropicals is expected to have a third consecutive year with a strong crop of Florida avocados.

"Our 'SlimCado’ season has started and it looks like it's going to be another great one," Mary Ostlund, director of marketing for Brooks Tropicals, a leading grower-shipper of tropical fruits and vegetables headquartered Homestead, FL, told The Produce News June 6. "We're wondering what's up with the crop these days. Brooks Tropicals' 'SlimCado' has half the fat of Hass avocados. Typically with Florida avocados the crop peaks in one year and it is in a valley the next. But we're now on our third consecutive peak year, and we're not complaining one bit."

She added that the crop quality looks great and the fruit is sizing up nicely. Harvesting started almost a month ago, but Florida avocados tend to start slowly. During June volumes increase rapidly, and promotable volumes come on in early July.

Ostlund added, "Now's the time to start talking to a Brooks sales rep to get orders in."

There is a lot of consumer interest in "SlimCado" avocados today — and for good reason, given the emphases on diet and nutrition. They are the Florida avocado that has a lighter great taste with only half the fat and one-third the calories of the Hass avocado.

Chefs around the world are also taking a closer look at the "SlimCado" today.

"I have been working with the International Association of Culinary Professionals to disseminate information about 'SlimCados,'" said Ostlund. "They are learning how to use them, about the nutritional and lower fat aspects and more, and they are expressing increasingly more interest."

Brooks Tropicals' "SlimCados" get a very strong consumer punch during July when the company cross merchandises with Concord Foods' guacamole mix. The companies combine to hold a weekly contest, which draws an outstanding amount of attention. The Guacamole Mix has a sticker on it that features the "SlimCado" and advises shoppers of the contest. Retailers get in on the action by setting up their own promotion with support from Brooks Tropicals and Concord Foods.

"During a normal week Brooks Tropicals' website gets about 3,000 hits per day," said Ostlund. "During the contest we get 100,000 hits a week-about quadruple of our normal activity. And many bloggers help us to spread the world by writing about 'SlimCados' and the contest on their own blogs."

She developed seven "round the world" "SlimCado" recipes that will help draw even more consumer attention this year, such as guacamole chutney, seven-layer guacamole salad, guacamole chili and more.

"This year's contest theme is Simple Guacamole," said Ostlund. "And it reflects how simple it is to combine a 'SlimCado' with Concord Foods guacamole mix and the dish is ready. July is a really fun time at Brooks Tropicals with all this activity going on."

Ostlund's creativity goes way beyond developing an outstanding cross-merchandising program and a highly successful contest. It's hard to beat her press releases.

Her latest, on June 5, is her revised version of "Home, Home on the Range;" When nutritious needs to be quick, or the kids munch on chips..." It promotes the “SlimCado” as well as the company's popular Caribbean Red papayas.

"It is like riding a rodeo bull during July around Brooks Tropicals," said Ostlund. "We're always wondering what is going to happen next. July is really the time to think about pairing 'SlimCado' avocados with Concord Foods guacamole mix, and enjoy the ride."

Brooks Tropicals' "SlimCado" avocado crop will run through January.