Episode 124: Karen Nardozza
Oct 28, 2020, Updated Jun 11, 2021
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On the Florida Avocado Administrative Committee’s 2021 Schedule there are 23 major varieties and 38 minor varieties of tropical avocados listed alone.
Karen Nardozza, President and CEO at Moxxy Marketing, helps brands grow and evolve in the agriculture and fresh food industry. She helped The Produce Moms become the successful, community-based business it is today and is now working with WP Produce to expand the United States’ avocado category by sharing with consumers the delicious, wonderful flavors of Desbry® Tropical Avocados.
“[Our goal is to] help consumers understand that there’s a difference between these avocados and the Hass avocado they’re so used to.” – Karen Nardozza (6:33-6:44)
Tropical Avocados were known as green-skin avocados until Moxxy conducted consumer research about the fruit, prompting Desbry® Tropical Avocados to rebrand to a name that would appeal to consumers and differentiate these avocados from the Hass most people are used to. Karen tried her first Tropical Avocado two years ago, and all she could think was, “Oh my gosh! Why can’t we get these? In California I had never seen or heard of a green-skin avocado or Tropical Avocado.”
Tropical Avocados are often 2-4 times larger than most avocados and don’t oxidize as quickly when sliced. That means when you prepare meals or save some for later, it won’t brown within hours of slicing. They have a great buttery flavor appealing to families and are less rich than Hass avocados because their water content is higher.
Isn’t it interesting that the average produce department has around 200 different varieties of fruits and vegetables, and most produce categories, such as apples, have multiple options. Yet, when it comes to avocados, the only option we tend to see is Hass.
Karen Nardozza and the team at WP Produce are changing that, helping the US get on board with a love for tropical avocados that most of the world already has. These avocados are great for moms who don’t have to slice into as many avocados to serve a snack, and for at-home or professional chefs who will enjoy how slowly this fruit oxidizes (compared to Hass) and the opportunity to create meals that looks great and has a different flavor.
Surely Americans will fall in love with Tropical Avocados the same way the rest of the world has, but educating retailers and consumers takes time. As the Tropical Avocado is introduced to more and more retailers, some are very interested and willing to put it on shelves, while others want to see how it does in other markets before committing. So far, the Southeast and the Northeast are where Tropical Avocados are most well-known, and California, Texas and larger cities are where the avocados are headed next.
You may not have heard of the Tropical Avocado until now, but if you’ve traveled to the tropics and ordered a salad, ceviche or sushi, you’ve certainly tried it! WP Produce sells Desbry avocados at Albertsons, Bristol Farms, Kroger, Metro, Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, and other retailers nationwide, and if you want to try the fruit for yourself but your local retailer doesn’t have it, you can always request the item from the produce manager. That’s what they’re there for!
Check out some of the delicious recipes on The Produce Moms that you can make with Desbry® Tropical Avocados and make sure to share your creations on social media to spread the word and grow our options for additional varieties of avocados in the US.
How to get involved
- Join The Produce Moms Group on Facebook and continue the discussion every week!
- Reach out to us – we’d love to hear more about where you are in life and business! Find out more here.
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Previous episodes you may enjoy
- Episode 123: Strategic Thinking And Planning For The Global Produce Industry With Julie Krivanek, Founder And CEO Of Krivanek Consulting
- Episode 122: Making An Impact With The Best Tasting Tomatoes In North America With Lori Castillo, Vice President Of Marketing At NatureSweet
- Episode 121: Making Free-From Foods Accessible To All With Emily Brown, Founder And CEO Of The Food Equality Initiative
- Episode 120: The Produce Traceability Initiative With Ralph Towell, Director Of Analytics And Business Processes At Duda Farm Fresh Foods
- Episode 119: Intuitive Eating And Healthy Body Image For Children With Dr. Yami, DO, MPH, MS, FAAP, And Founder Of Veggie Fit Kids
