Irvine, Calif. (January 7, 2010) – Through the Hass Avocado Board’s (HAB) ongoing marketing efforts, it consistently works to educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of incorporating Hass avocados into their diet. During March’s National Nutrition Month, HAB will put an even stronger focus on spreading the word about the fruit’s nutritional attributes through the implementation of an integrated marketing initiative that will reach consumers through retail-level promotion, public relations and online activities. 

“Our industry works to highlight the nutritional aspects of Hass avocados in all of our marketing efforts” said Jose Luis Obregon, managing director of HAB. “We believe that National Nutrition Month offers a great tie-in to consumers’ increased awareness of the foods they are eating and offers us an opportunity to encourage sales by reinforcing the benefits of including avocados into an overall healthy diet.”

To leverage the media's heightened interest in nutrition during National Nutrition Month, HAB will distribute information to the media on the nutritional benefits of Hass avocados and offer tips and recipes to inspire consumers' inclusion of the fruit into their meals. The campaign will include the distribution of a mat release presenting a new avocado-centric recipe, "Tropical Salad with Hass Avocados and Grilled Shrimp," along with the dissemination of a radio news release featuring HAB's nutritional expert, Julie Upton, MS, R.D., CSSD, who also will post an article about National Nutrition Month on her Health.com blog during the month.

HAB’s consumer Web site, avocadocentral.com, will continue its focus on promoting the nutritional aspects of Hass avocados. During National Nutrition Month, the site will launch new nutritional content including an avocado nutrition quiz that visitors can take to see how well they know the benefits of the fruit. Traffic will be driven to the site through promotion at retail, incorporation in media placements, inclusion in HAB’s subscriber recipe e-newsletter and online advertising efforts.

HAB’s merchandising team will expand the promotional efforts at the retail level by offering nutrition-themed point-of-purchase materials to retailers to encourage consumer purchases of Hass avocados throughout National Nutrition Month. These materials will be available to order at avoHQ.com/research-marketing/pos-order-form.   

HAB also is outreaching to key foodservice media, who will receive an “edible” mailer, which will include Hass avocados and nutrition information. Additionally, HAB will encourage foodservice operators to incorporate Hass avocados into their menus throughout the month and beyond. The effort includes the promotion of ideas for foodservice menu items that tie into the National Nutrition Month time period and the availability of promotional tips on the HAB foodservice site avocadocentral.com/foodservice.

About the Hass Avocado Board
The Hass Avocado Board (HAB) was established in 2002 after approval by producers and importers of Hass avocados in a national referendum. A 12-member Board administers the program. Over 20,000 producers and 100 importers are involved in HAB, which covers fresh domestic and imported Hass avocados sold in the U.S. market.

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