Top Avocado Producing Countries Unite to Launch World Avocado Organization

12 Feb 2016 --- During Fruit Logistica, the world’s top producing countries have united to create the World Avocado Organization (WAO). The primary purpose of the new organization is to promote the consumption of avocados in the European Union and other parts of the world through collectively self-funded marketing programs.

WAO is a U.S. based non-profit global entity that’s the first of its kind. The organization is composed of board of directors representing the interests of its members - avocado producers, exporters and importers from around the world. The founding member countries include Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, and the United States of America.

“The World Avocado Organization represents the creation of a major international agricultural body that has been years in the making and is, to date, the only multinational global marketing organization of its kind” stated the director for Peru, Mr. James Bosworth of Pro Hass, Chairman of the WAO.  “The world is getting smaller and this commodity has achieved a global reach as people everywhere embrace the superfood nutritional benefits and taste of avocados” noted the South African director, Mr. Zac Bard of Westfalia, Vice Chairman of the WAO.

The initial idea for a global umbrella organization for the promotion of avocados dates back several years. After nearly eight years of discussions, the plan came to fruition when the founding country members of the WAO agreed to move forward with such idea during the World Avocado Congress in Lima, Peru.

The organization’s name is a nod to the importance of the World Avocado Congress, which has been held in every major avocado producing country in the world since it first convened in South Africa in 1987. The charter members wanted to give the organization a name that would be representative and inclusive of all of the founding and future members from around the globe. The overall purpose of the organization is to promote the consumption of avocados in the second largest consuming market for avocados in the European Union as well as worldwide.

The WAO plans to launch its first collectively funded marketing programs later this year in several European markets including Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and selected Scandinavian countries.  The EU is the second largest market for imported avocados in the world – after the United States of America.  In 2015, the EU consumed over 800 million pounds of avocados and in 2016 such consumption is expected to increase by 10%.