The Hass Avocado Board in Irvine, CA, which is charged with working to build avocado consumption in the United States for avocados regardless of country of origin, has changed its focus this year.

Emiliano EscobedoIn the past, the organization has placed a major emphasis on sports-related promotions. But “we are no longer doing sports and we are no longer doing tailgating programs,” said Emiliano Escobedo, executive director.

“At the Hass Avocado Board we have made some strategic decisions that will change the direction of HAB,” he said. “Rather than working on fall sports programs,” this year the board will be implementing “a single-minded strategy for the entire category … that will position Hass avocados among consumers and influencers as a healthy, nutritious fruit.”

For the past two or three years, HAB “has been investing millions of dollars” in health research, led by various top researchers around the country...., Mr. Escobedo said. “We have researchers in UCLA, Loma Linda University, Penn State, Stanford University, and Tufts University looking at the health effects of avocados on heart health, diabetes weight management and … cognitive functions,” he said. “We have found, based on a combination of research” that has been conducted since 1960, “that avocados can play a significant role in addressing health concerns in those four areas.”

Having already invested millions of dollars in health and nutrition research, he said, “we are approaching the tipping point where some of this research will get published, and we are expecting good results.”

Since the health and nutrition benefits of avocados apply to fruit from all sources of origin, and since there are abundant supplies of avocados in the U.S. market all year, “it makes sense for HAB to focus on the product attributes that reflect the category,” Mr. Escobedo said. “So we are going to develop a strategy that will be leveraged by member associations — the California Avocado Commission, the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association, the Chilean Avocado Importers Association and the Peruvian Avocado Commission — so they can use the resources that are being channeled through our promotion order to position avocados as a healthy and nutritious fruit.”

What the board is doing is “a little complex,” he said, “but it is basically a shift in strategy. We are going to really start flexing our muscles on the significant investment that we have made over the last couple of years, developing the science to support messaging that will really change the perception of consumers here in the United states … and around the world, because avocados from all of the countries are not just sold here in the United States. They are also sold in New Zealand and Europe and Asia.”

One example of the research in which HAB is currently involved is a diabetes-related study that shows eating half an avocado a day helps control huger and blood sugar levels, he said.

Another study, with the University of California at Los Angeles, is “investigating how adding half an avocado to a hamburger may have a positive impact on arterial health,” Mr. Escobedo continued. “We have a strong believe that the actual effect on the body will be positive just by adding avocados, because of the mono-unsaturated fats that are in the avocado.”

With regard to weight management, “we are working with Stanford University, looking into the effectiveness of diets that include avocados, compared to low-fat, high-carb diets,” he said.

“Heart health is another very important area. We know, but we have to prove scientifically, that eating avocados can help consumers meet the healthy dietary goals of the American Heart Association,” he said.

Another study in the pipeline is “investigating how eating an avocado a day will improve blood pressure and overall cardiovascular health,” he said.

Lutein, one of 600 known carotenoids found in plants, is usually associated with such dark green leafy vegetables as spinach, but the lutein in avocados has been found to be more accessible. At the same time, lutein, commonly associated with eye health, is also now believed to have “an important effect on cognitive function,” Mr. Escobedo said.

“We will continue with our research,” he said. “That is part of our strategic plan.” At the same time, HAB will be “working with our member organizations and strategic partners to make sure that the message gets out to the consumers. It is very exciting for HAB because its investment [in health and nutrition research] is coming to fruition.”