CORONA, CA - Satisfying the consumer begins with understanding what they want. With over a century of experience backing its expertise in the category, Index Fresh is harnessing in-demand formats and limited-time programs to help its partners maximize avocado sales.

“In the last one to two years, retailers have pushed hard for avocado programs that feel differentiated, dependable, and easy to execute at store level. Consumers, in turn, are rewarding convenience, sustainability, and value,” explains Kellen Stailey Martin, Vice President of Marketing. “For Index Fresh, that has meant leaning into formats that fit real shopper missions.”

In 2026 alone, Index Fresh introduced its new Avoettes Mini Bags, Jumbo Bags, and Organic Cellulose Bags, catering to demands from small‑basket snacking to large‑basket stock‑up and eco‑conscious purchasing.

In addition to bringing innovative formats to market, the avocado maven has also leaned into limited‑time offers (LTO) as one of its most effective tools for driving category excitement and incremental volume. The brand’s California Crema GEM avocados are a key marker of the strength of this strategy.

“Our California Crema GEMs program completed its second year in early July and has grown into our biggest and strongest GEM LTO season to date, with program sales doubling year over year,” Kellen tells me. “It is a proven branded limited‑time offer that brings a premium ‘discovery’ feel to the category and has delivered our strongest GEM performance to date in engagement and volume. We’ve increased our customer base by over 55 percent in the last five years, and it is rewarding to serve as California’s largest GEM shipper, supplying this unique variety to retailers from coast to coast.”

At the center of its growth blueprint is the most important element of Index Fresh’s operations—the avocado.

“We stay ahead by being radically focused on one thing: avocados,” John Dmytriw, Vice President of Business Development, adds. “We’re grower‑rooted, 112 years in the category, with no outside agendas, no acquisitions to integrate, and no shareholder value targets resetting our priorities every 90 days. Our goals are measured in seasons, not quarters, and that changes how we show up for both growers and retailers.”

This level of focus allows Index Fresh to innovate quickly and responsibly—with Avoettes Mini Bags, Jumbo Bags, and Organic Cellulose Bags serving as prime examples of how the company is responding directly to retailer and shopper needs while keeping its commitments to ripening, global social responsibility, and 52-week supply intact.

Attendees of this year’s Southern Innovations will get a closer look at Index Fresh’s portfolio and values, as the supplier gears up to showcase its retail and foodservice avocado programs at booth #549 this September.

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