Amanda Horney and Olivia Avellaneda, the dynamic sister team leading KickHass Avocados’ sales, are gearing up for a promising new season. They officially joined the organization as sales managers in June and have been instrumental in selling the KickHass brand since Founder Felipe Perez began importing Mexican avocados into the United States.

With a new hire handling its sustainability effort, including food safety and ethical certifications at the grower level, GLC Cerritos Inc. is poised for solid growth as it moves into its third season as the U.S. based sales firm for Grupo Aguacatero Los Cerritos.

The U.S. avocado marketing situation has been a bit unsettled through spring and summer as buyers and sellers had to deal with several unanticipated curveballs.

Though the U.S. market remains the primary focus for the marketing and distribution of its avocados, Oxnard, CA-based Mission Produce sees plenty of opportunities for growth in other parts of the world.

One of the leading proponents of sustainable produce packaging said the idea that plastic can be eliminated from the manufacturing process is an unrealistic goal and will not happen in his lifetime, though he quipped the younger panelists may witness it.

“Plastic is here to stay,” 63-year-old Kevin Kelly, CEO of Emerald Packaging, said at the “Sustainable Packaging: Reducing Plastics in the Produce Department” breakout session during the Organic Produce Summit, held July 10-11 in Monterey, CA.

A panel of veteran players in the organic fruit world explored the current state of affairs of the sector at a recent seminar, with the consensus view being that the category is in good shape and poised for continued growth.