Avocados: Deducing its Popularity

It is almost impossible these days to find a brunch menu at an Australian café that doesn’t feature at least one dish with smashed avo on toast. Avocado has been all the rage for a while but when did it become so popular in Australia and why? It is no secret that avocados aren’t the cheapest fruit to buy and it hasn’t been without its controversy. Avocados are not just hyped though. In fact, avocados have more potassium than bananas.

Where are Avocados Grown?

Avocados are grown across Australia including Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. It is a huge industry. In the last 10 years, the consumption of avocados has tripled in Australia and the avocado industry is now worth about $460 million. For people in Central America and the Caribbean, avocados have been a staple part of their diet for a long time. Avocados didn’t come to Australia until 1840, where avocado seeds were placed in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney.

Reasons for its Popularity

It was a combination of a few things. The rise of the wellness industry attracted many bloggers to this fruit because of its colour. Also, the California Avocado Association mentioned an avocado toast recipe in their 1915 report. However, it was restaurateur Bill Granger who really started the avocado craze in Australia when he started offering avo as a side on the menu at his Sydney café, Bills, and this was prior to the days of social media. If you search the hashtag #smashedavo on Instagram today, there are over 143,000 posts. Smashed avo has become part of Australian café culture and has been featured in many videos and memes.

Types of Avocados

There are two main types of avocado that we see in Australia:

–   Hass

–   Shepard

In Australia, about 80-85% of avocados sold are Hass, while only 10-15% are Shepard. Hass avocados have pebbly skin which turns dark purple when ripe. Shepard avocados are similar in size and shape but have smooth green skin and paler flesh. They also stay green even when they are ripe.

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)