In mid-November, China received its first shipment of avocados from Tanzania. This milestone was made possible through collaboration among Mr. Avocado, Africado, a Tanzanian grower, and Westfalia from South Africa.
"After several years of rapid growth, avocados have achieved significant market recognition in China, with demand steadily increasing," said Ms. Shi Chunyu, Vice President of Mr. Avocado. "In recent years, authorities in China and Tanzania have worked closely to pave the way for Tanzanian avocados to enter the Chinese market. The avocados in this shipment are from Africado, one of Tanzania's largest growers and exporters. As the first exporter to China, Africado aims to introduce premium Tanzanian avocados to Chinese consumers, leveraging its advanced avocado cultivation techniques."
Mr. Avocado has been a pioneer in introducing ready-to-eat avocados to the Chinese market, launching its first offerings in 2017. As avocado consumption grows rapidly among Chinese consumers, ripened avocados have become a key trend in the retail sector. This shift presents significant opportunities to meet the increasing demand for fresh, ready-to-eat avocados. "We often hear from consumers that after storing avocados for a few days, the fruit is either not ripe enough or has become overripe, resulting in spoilage," explained Ms. Shi. "To address this issue, we established an automated avocado ripening center, incorporating North American ripening technology to process imported fruits locally. This ensures that consumers can enjoy perfectly ripened avocados immediately after purchase, offering a soft, creamy, and smooth taste that enhances the overall experience."
Currently, Mr. Avocado operates four ripening centers and ten sub-packaging centers across China. "With the arrival of Tanzanian avocados, our supply chain has expanded further," Ms. Shi added. "We are excited to bring even higher-quality avocados to our retail partners throughout China."
