The Hass Avocado Board is enlisting the help of a high-profile spokesman — NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana — to hike demand leading to Super Bowl Sunday.
Jose Luis Obregon, managing director of the Irvine, Calif.-based board, estimates that 80 million pounds of hass avocados will be consumed during the “Big Game” festivities. That’s a nearly 63% increase over the 50 million pounds consumed earlier this year before and during Super Bowl XLIII.
“There’s going to be a good crop from all three regions (California, Mexico and Chile) this year, so we’re looking for a big year,” Obregon said. “We’ve seen that, as soon as product begins hitting distribution channels, it moves.
“We think that by creating this buzz around the big game … it’s getting to be a really big thing.”
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To help spread the word, the avocado board’s promotions feature legendary NFL quarterback and four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana. Montana worked with the Hass Avocado Board to develop a signature guacamole recipe — Joe Montana’s Nacho Guacamole — that is being distributed to consumer media nationwide.
Obregon said Montana will talk to radio and TV outlets about the recipe and hass avocados in the week leading to the game. He’ll also be involved with the Big Game micro site on the board’s Web site at www.avocadocentral.com/biggame. The board is not licensed to use the words “Super Bowl” in promotions, using “Big Game” instead.
Visitors can enter a sweepstakes to win one of 10 footballs signed by Montana and a $500 grocery gift card.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to work with Joe and get our Big Game program to a higher level,” Obregon said. “We’re very confident that it’ll be a success.”
The board will have Big Game-themed point-of-purchase materials in retail outlets throughout the country and will reach out to foodservice operators to include hass avocados into their menus leading up to the game.
Super Bowl XLIV is scheduled for Feb. 7 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.