September 14, 2026 • 4 mins
The chief executive of NZ Avocado discusses the production outlook, the opportunity to grow domestic demand and what increased consumption could mean for growers and regional communities, ahead of National Guacamole Day on Wednesday.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
So tomorrow, September 16, is National Guacamole Day. If you're
into your avocados, I'm more of a kiwi fruit bloke myself.
But to tell us more, and this has been a
wonderful marketing exercise for the avocado industry, is the chief
executive of Avocado NZ, based out of Tauranga, Brad Seaburt.
And well done on a pretty good promotion. It's all
(00:21):
on tomorrow, is it, Brad? It is.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you for having me, Jamie. Yeah, we're turning Guacamole
Day into Guacamole Week and trying to get the message
out there. And the study just really highlights how Kiwis
are starting to eat avocados and more of them.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's a bit of a fraught industry to be involved
in because you certainly seem to have your ups and downs.
And as I understand it, with avocado, some years you
don't even get a crop.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, I mean, it's You can have pretty good years.
If Mother Nature plays a part, like it has done
for this season, you can have a pretty good crop.
And so the opportunity is always there offshore. Our export
volumes are pretty consistent. Making sure we compete well offshore
to get value is the ticket. And we often supply
(01:09):
almost 50% to the local market.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
The interesting thing about avocado, unlike almost any other crop,
is you can almost pick it all year round. Am
I right in saying that?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yep, it'll stay green on the tree until you harvest it.
So we don't import avocados. So we grow as whole
deer fruit, meet windows of value or an opportunity offshore
and in the local market. And yeah, we harvest essentially
12 months of the year.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So we know that kiwifruit in particular, out of leading
the horticulture stables, having a really good season. What are
the prospects like for prices for your avocado with your
record crop? Will you find a home for it all?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
We will. We've got a lot, over 50%, over 2.8
million trays will go back into the Australian market, which
holds a lot of value for us on the eastern seaboard.
And so we will, growers will be reasonably happy with
the returns they get out of Australia this season. And
last season just showed when Australia opportunity wasn't there, we
sent 78% of the crop to Asia and Canada. So
(02:11):
the opportunity for demand is there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You're trying to convince us to eat a bit more
avocado or guacamole. Apparently, New Zealanders eat around three kilograms
of avocado per person annually. The Aussies are up near five.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
They are. They are. And 4.7. And Mexico is 12.
So it just shows how nations can increase their consumption.
China is 0.03. So you can just see in the
Asian markets where the opportunity lies as well to increase that.
But correct, locally, it's about three kgs per person annually.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Put the industry into some sort of perspective for me
compared to, say, I don't know, kiwi fruit or apples.
How many growers have we got? How many hectares have
we got in avocado? Because I know there was quite
a big expansion in recent times in Northland.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, there has been. We grow just over 4,000 hectares.
And we've got a large grower base, about 1,500 growers.
and so some large-scale right through to some lifestyle orchardists
who can make a viable go at it if they're
growing in the right place and doing the right approach
to it.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So the cost of living crisis, because we always joke
about the millennials having smashed avocado on toast in their
favourite cafe, has that affected the industry, the fact that
people have less discretionary income for their smashed avocado on toast?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, that's what we're seeing through the study. Yep, toast
is still what, near 70% of how 1,000 consumers that
we surveyed still like to eat it. And it just
shows that at-home cafe shift where 61% of those are
choosing to eat it and prepare it at home rather
than purchasing it at a cafe. It's only, you know,
can be a positive thing because we sell more avocados
(03:59):
to more people.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
So finally, for National Guacamole Day tomorrow, what's happening? What's
happening retail-wise? Have you got specials happening in cafes and supermarkets?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, the retailers will have a good go at it.
We're partnering with the main retailers to make sure the
promotions are on point and they may have their own
awareness around the day as well. So we're pushing as
much as we can and just getting the word out.
And the study has been really positive to just show
how those eating habits are changing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, Brad Siebert, Chief Executive of Avocado NZ, good luck
tomorrow for National Guacamole Day.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Appreciate it. Thanks, Jamie.
So tomorrow, September 16, is National Guacamole Day. If you're
into your avocados, I'm more of a kiwi fruit bloke myself.
But to tell us more, and this has been a
wonderful marketing exercise for the avocado industry, is the chief
executive of Avocado NZ, based out of Tauranga, Brad Seaburt.
And well done on a pretty good promotion. It's all
(00:21):
on tomorrow, is it, Brad? It is.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Thank you for having me, Jamie. Yeah, we're turning Guacamole
Day into Guacamole Week and trying to get the message
out there. And the study just really highlights how Kiwis
are starting to eat avocados and more of them.
Speaker 1 (00:36):
It's a bit of a fraught industry to be involved
in because you certainly seem to have your ups and downs.
And as I understand it, with avocado, some years you
don't even get a crop.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Yeah, I mean, it's You can have pretty good years.
If Mother Nature plays a part, like it has done
for this season, you can have a pretty good crop.
And so the opportunity is always there offshore. Our export
volumes are pretty consistent. Making sure we compete well offshore
to get value is the ticket. And we often supply
(01:09):
almost 50% to the local market.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
The interesting thing about avocado, unlike almost any other crop,
is you can almost pick it all year round. Am
I right in saying that?
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yep, it'll stay green on the tree until you harvest it.
So we don't import avocados. So we grow as whole
deer fruit, meet windows of value or an opportunity offshore
and in the local market. And yeah, we harvest essentially
12 months of the year.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
So we know that kiwifruit in particular, out of leading
the horticulture stables, having a really good season. What are
the prospects like for prices for your avocado with your
record crop? Will you find a home for it all?
Speaker 2 (01:49):
We will. We've got a lot, over 50%, over 2.8
million trays will go back into the Australian market, which
holds a lot of value for us on the eastern seaboard.
And so we will, growers will be reasonably happy with
the returns they get out of Australia this season. And
last season just showed when Australia opportunity wasn't there, we
sent 78% of the crop to Asia and Canada. So
(02:11):
the opportunity for demand is there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
You're trying to convince us to eat a bit more
avocado or guacamole. Apparently, New Zealanders eat around three kilograms
of avocado per person annually. The Aussies are up near five.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
They are. They are. And 4.7. And Mexico is 12.
So it just shows how nations can increase their consumption.
China is 0.03. So you can just see in the
Asian markets where the opportunity lies as well to increase that.
But correct, locally, it's about three kgs per person annually.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
Put the industry into some sort of perspective for me
compared to, say, I don't know, kiwi fruit or apples.
How many growers have we got? How many hectares have
we got in avocado? Because I know there was quite
a big expansion in recent times in Northland.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
Yeah, there has been. We grow just over 4,000 hectares.
And we've got a large grower base, about 1,500 growers.
and so some large-scale right through to some lifestyle orchardists
who can make a viable go at it if they're
growing in the right place and doing the right approach
to it.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
So the cost of living crisis, because we always joke
about the millennials having smashed avocado on toast in their
favourite cafe, has that affected the industry, the fact that
people have less discretionary income for their smashed avocado on toast?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Well, that's what we're seeing through the study. Yep, toast
is still what, near 70% of how 1,000 consumers that
we surveyed still like to eat it. And it just
shows that at-home cafe shift where 61% of those are
choosing to eat it and prepare it at home rather
than purchasing it at a cafe. It's only, you know,
can be a positive thing because we sell more avocados
(03:59):
to more people.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
So finally, for National Guacamole Day tomorrow, what's happening? What's
happening retail-wise? Have you got specials happening in cafes and supermarkets?
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah, the retailers will have a good go at it.
We're partnering with the main retailers to make sure the
promotions are on point and they may have their own
awareness around the day as well. So we're pushing as
much as we can and just getting the word out.
And the study has been really positive to just show
how those eating habits are changing.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Well, Brad Siebert, Chief Executive of Avocado NZ, good luck
tomorrow for National Guacamole Day.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Appreciate it. Thanks, Jamie.
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