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Avocados weren’t really marketed at all until the mid-90s and were also shunned by some due to high fat. It was a niche food almost completely considered a sid

Avocados weren’t really marketed at all until the mid-90s and were also shunned by some due to high fat. It was a niche food almost completely considered a side for mexican cuisine. It has been expensive outside of growing areas for a while, hence the jokes about asking for guac at Chipotle and always being warned it costs another $1.39. I’d guess part of the expense is that it has a relatively small window between being unripe and too ripe. My understanding is also that it can take 20 years from pit to fruit-bearing-tree, so supply will tend to lag behind demand (which has grown globally.)

archsurface 5y ago
Ok, thanks. I was in sub-Saharan Africa, so zero exposure to the Mexican aspects, and I don't recall anyone ever giving a damn about fat content in anything. We also had banana, pawpaw, and guava trees - avos were just one of the standard fruits.
- jwilber 5y ago
  The previous responses cover what are probably the most important factors, but I think it’s worth adding that avocados are also touted as ‘super foods’ in multiple trendy diets (eg keto).
- jasonwatkinspdx 5y ago
  Yeah, in the US avocado is seen more as an ingredient in savory food items, not as a fruit. No one answered you about avocado toast, but it's literally what it sounds like. Slice some avocado, put it on toast, typically with a poached egg and some seasonings of choice. It's seen as a quick healthy meat free breakfast or lunch that still has a sort of richness to it. It became a fad with younger people after restaurants realized it could be a real money maker.
barathr 5y ago
Only un-grafted avocados take a long time (and typically it's more like 10 years to fruit, not 20). Grafted cultivars vary in precocity, with some (e.g. Lamb) fruiting in the year after grafting and others (e.g. Sir Prize) taking many years to start fruiting.
- antiterra 5y ago
  Awesome, thanks for the info/correction. I remember many attempts in my childhood for family members to raise a tree from a pit and they never got very far.

archsurface 5y ago

Ok, thanks. I was in sub-Saharan Africa, so zero exposure to the Mexican aspects, and I don't recall anyone ever giving a damn about fat content in anything. We also had banana, pawpaw, and guava trees - avos were just one of the standard fruits.

jwilber 5y ago
The previous responses cover what are probably the most important factors, but I think it’s worth adding that avocados are also touted as ‘super foods’ in multiple trendy diets (eg keto).
jasonwatkinspdx 5y ago
Yeah, in the US avocado is seen more as an ingredient in savory food items, not as a fruit. No one answered you about avocado toast, but it's literally what it sounds like. Slice some avocado, put it on toast, typically with a poached egg and some seasonings of choice. It's seen as a quick healthy meat free breakfast or lunch that still has a sort of richness to it. It became a fad with younger people after restaurants realized it could be a real money maker.

barathr 5y ago

Only un-grafted avocados take a long time (and typically it's more like 10 years to fruit, not 20). Grafted cultivars vary in precocity, with some (e.g. Lamb) fruiting in the year after grafting and others (e.g. Sir Prize) taking many years to start fruiting.

antiterra 5y ago
Awesome, thanks for the info/correction. I remember many attempts in my childhood for family members to raise a tree from a pit and they never got very far.