*New Zealand Avocado Season Launch*
*Nutritious and Delicious Hass Avocados from New Zealand in Store Now*
*10 October 2014, New Delhi*: The New Zealand avocado season was launched today at an event at the New Zealand High Commission hosted with New Zealand Avocado – the peak body representing all New Zealand avocado growers and exporters. New Zealand Hass avocados are available in India from now until the end of February and currently available in organized retail stores like Godrej Natures Basket, Food Hall and INA Market in single packs, twin packs or on kg basis.
The launch event also introduced AVANZA Ltd, New Zealand’s largest exporter of avocados to Asia, which represents three companies that will collectively ship 10,000 trays to India this season. AVANZA Ltd will also invest in educating handlers and introducing avocados to consumers through a series of in-store tastings and innovative promotional events with Kunal
Kapur.
*Celebrity Masterchef Kunal Kapur said **“New Zealand Hass avocados are an amazing healthy and versatile wholefood that contain the good fats needed to maintain a healthy heart. They interestingly blend with everyday Indian meals and the soft buttery texture and nutty flavour goes really well with many traditional dishes such as **Bhel Puri and Tawa Pulao. They also blend
seamlessly with curries”.*
Avocados can be used at any time of the day and are a great way to add nutrition, flavour and colour to your favourite recipes. Avocados are great at breakfast, lunch, dinner even desserts and snacks. Kunal Kapur, Celebrity Masterchef and avocado lover, showed guests at the event many ways of using avocado to create delicious and nutritious meals. Kapur encourages Indians to enjoy the unique taste and health benefits of New Zealand avocados.
*Chef Kunal Kapur further adds*, *“**Avocados are a superfood that is hassle free to cook and blends with almost any Indian dish**. The addition of New Zealand Hass avocados makes snacking **colourful, healthy and meaningful. I especially enjoy an avocado right after a good run at the gym.”*
*New Zealand High Commissioner Grahame Morton commented, **“With the entry of New Zealand avocado in India, we have created a new opportunity for Indian consumers. Avocado is not commercially grown in India and hasn’t been widely available. I grew up in the Bay of Plenty, an avocado area and it is one of my favourite fruits. As a nutritionally rich whole food suitable for all ages, we hope consumers give it a try.”*
*Adding to this, Trade Commissioner Mr Richard White said, **“We see the consumer preference growing towards consumption of avocados in the near future. Avocado is nutritious, good to taste, fits well in any kind of recipe and is good for your heart”.*
*Tony Ponder, Vice Chair of New Zealand Avocado and Director of AVANZA Ltd says,** “New Zealand growers take the extra time to nurture their Hass avocados on the tree and only harvest the fruit when the taste and quality of each avocado reaches its best.” *
*Tony Ponder further added **“New Zealand growers are supplying India with their best avocados harvested at their best time. The New Zealand Hass avocado season is a special limited time to get high quality and nutritious avocados”.*
New Zealand avocado exporters’ current delivery strategy means that avocados are with handlers in India 5-7 days after harvest, meaning New Zealand growers will deliver avocados of unrivalled freshness.
*Celebrity Masterchef Kunal Kapur’s take on avocados*
The New Zealand avocado industry’s food safety, traceability and quality assurance programmes set the global benchmark so you can be assured that New Zealand avocados are safe and healthy for Indian families.
“I have visited New Zealand. It is a beautiful country that yields premium agricultural and horticultural products that are produced to meet high standards of food safety, quality and reliability,” says Kapur.
Kapur says he loves making a New Zealand avocado and kiwi lassi to have with breakfast or lunch as it’s a quick and easy way to get a nutrient boost and it also helps with digestion.
“New Zealand Hass avocados are rich in fibre which is great for a healthy digestive system.”
Avocados contain over 20 vitamins and minerals and are made up of proteins, good fats and carbohydrates. Kapur says they’re also cholesterol free. Not many people realise how amazing avocados taste when used in baking and desserts. Their creamy texture makes them perfect for ice cream and decadent sweet treats like chocolate avocado mousse.
“My recipe for New Zealand Avocado and Cheese Parantha makes an excellent choice for kid’s lunch boxes and is also a tasty breakfast option”
“I love to give my son avocados once a day to keep him healthy and energetic,” says Kapur.
Avocado also helps your body absorb more of the nutrients from other foods it is eaten with. In fact, it’s regarded as one of the most nutritionally complete foods in the world.
“Adding some avocado to your meals throughout the day is a smart way to ensure you are getting some good nutrition in your diet. New Zealand Hass avocados are also high in vitamin B6, which helps to maintain good energy levels through the day.”Kapur is encouraging Indians to experiment with new culinary combinations this New Zealand Hass avocado season.
New Zealand avocados work well with so many different ingredients, they really are amazing anytime.
“New Zealand avocados mature on the tree longer giving them a nutty flavour which goes well with salmon and chicken. It can also pair well with light, fresh flavours such as watermelon and the sweetness of strawberry and kiwifruit.” Kapur says.
New Zealand avocados are grown in a pristine environment with strong dedication from growers to produce a premium product.
*Health benefits of New Zealand Avocado*
*Beautiful skin *The vitamins & antioxidants in Avocado can improve your skin from the inside
*Energy & vitality *The iron, niacin and vitamin B6 in Avocado support energy levels and help to unlock energy from your food
*Healthy heart *The good fats and omega acids in Avocado help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels
*Nutrient booster *Avocados help your body absorb more nutrients from other foods they are eaten with
*Protection *Vitamin C in Avocado contributes to protection of cells from free radical damage
*Healthy digestion *Fibre in Avocado keeps your digestive system in shape
*About New Zealand Avocado*
Avocados are the third*-*largest fresh fruit export from New Zealand.The total crop for the 2014-15 season is estimated at 7 million trays with 4.5 million expected to be exported. New Zealand Avocado works with the New Zealand industry to set export standards, facilitate market access, promote avocados from New Zealand and provide technical information to all New Zealand growers, of which there are more than 1600, based mainly in the Bay of Plenty and Northland.
