No fruit is gaining popularity as quickly as the avocado. Last year, 1.1 billion euros worth of avocados were imported, according to figures from the Central Bureau of Statistics. It is now the number 1 of the fruits that come from abroad, if you look at the value of the fruit. With that, bananas, grapes and oranges are over.
The Dutch eat much more avocados than before, an average of 12 avocados per year. That is almost four times as many as in 2008. Nevertheless, the popularity in other countries in particular means that more and more of this fruit is being imported. More than 90 percent of all avocados that come to the Netherlands are re-exported to other European countries.
This makes the Netherlands the avocado hub of Europe. It is the largest avocado exporter of all countries that do not grow avocados themselves.
Mango of avocado
Nature’s Pride in Maasdijk is one of the companies that started ripening avocados more than 15 years ago and then tried to increase their popularity.
“We then started to tell consumers in supermarkets that avocado is very tasty, let them taste guacamole”, says Adriëlle Dankier, commercial director of the company. She herself was in supermarkets to sell the fruit.
“We actually thought mangoes would become more popular than avocados, but the versatility of avocado has kept it growing.”
–
