The Produce News, January 19, 2005
Offshore Produce
By Tad Thompson
As the Florida avocado season approaches its end, Frans Boetes, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Brooks Tropicals, Homestead, FL, is already anxious for next year to begin.
In a January 19 interview, Mr. Boetes told The Produce News that seasonal Florida avocado shipping would end in February, but "I’m really looking forward to next season,” which begins in July. The reason is Brooks’ SlimCado, a patented avocado variety that was introduced in small volumes two years ago. The SlimCado has less fat – and 35 percent fewer calories -- than California avocados. A nationwide survey showed that consumers so far are not aware of this information, but given the caloric data, 78 percent of interviewees indicated that would buy the low calorie SlimCado.
The SlimCado received national publicity in LIFE Magazine. The story stirred a great deal of national interest in the SlimCado.
Mr. Boetes challenges his retail customers that, if they display a variety of apples in their stores, why should they not also display a variety of avocados?
Like other Florida avocados, SlimCados are three or four times bigger California avocados, have "more meat, better taste and character. They are a beautiful green, with all sorts of benefits."
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