Happy Chameleon® Daily ’Dos™ from Robinson Fresh® are the latest innovation on the avocado market. It’s a package with four, 70 count avocados in different stages of ripening. “The idea is for consumers to use it throughout the week and have an avocado at ideal ripeness available when they need it,” says Michael Castagnetto with Robinson Fresh. The avocados are packed in a proprietary tray that is lined with a film that absorbs ethylene, naturally delaying the ripening process. As a result, the package holds the avocados in the stages most beneficial to consumers for as long as possible.
The idea for the new packaging came from looking at trends in the produce industry and examining the buying habits of frequent avocado shoppers. “We sought to solve some of the inherent challenges with this increasingly popular commodity— the biggest being that consumers often don’t have an avocado at the right stage of ripeness when they want to use it,” said Castagnetto.
Exclusive agreement with Chantler Packages
In an effort to provide innovative and convenient products to customers, Robinson Fresh entered into an exclusive agreement with Chantler Packages. “We have an exclusive agreement with PrimePro® to employ their technology in our Daily ‘Dos Stay Fresh packaging to help extend shelf life by 21 percent or more compared to bulk ripened fruit,” shared Castagnetto.
In order to supply both retailers and consumers with a high-quality product, Robinson Fresh makes sure each package holds four avocados in different ripening stages. In addition, the PrimePro® technology manages the ethylene amounts. As a result, the avocados are ripened to the following stages to ensure they are ready-to-eat within zero to five days of purchase:
- Avocado 1: stage 3-4, ready to eat.
- Avocado 2: stage 2-3, typically eat within 2-3 days.
- Avocado 3: stage 2-3, typically eat within 2-3 days.
- Avocado 4: stage #1 or Green, typically eat within 4-5 days.
This new product that keeps avocados fresher for longer allows consumers to eat avocados daily without having to make multiple shopping trips. “The benefit to retailers is to be able to further capitalize on a highly-desired item in the produce aisle for a longer period of time,” mentioned Castagnetto. “Not only is this a high-volume item, it’s presented in a way that has an opportunity to set retailers apart.”
Right now, Daily ‘Dos are being tested in the Northeastern United States, and may open up to other regions, pending a successful test. Promotions are a key driver of avocado sales and Robinson Fresh has designed the Daily ‘Dos to be priced attractively at retail to align with promotional strategies. “Insights, innovation and marketing support are all part of the global suite of fresh produce and services supplied by Robinson Fresh.”
For more information:
Liz Erickson Monson
Robinson Fresh
Tel: (+1) 320-444-2733
Liz.ericksonmonson@chrobinson.com
www.robinsonfresh.com