Westfalia Fruit Brings GEM® Gourmet Avocado Experience to Fruit Logistica 2026; Wim Destoop Comments

OXNARD, CA - Westfalia Fruit, a global leader in the avocado industry, will present its GEM® Gourmet Avocado at Fruit Logistica 2026, reinforcing its continued focus on premium quality, innovation, and category growth in the global avocado market.

At the Westfalia Fruit stand in Hall 5.2, Stand D-21, visitors will be invited to discover the GEM experience through live tastings and dedicated displays that highlight the variety’s superior taste, texture and eating quality. Retailers interested in experiencing GEM and exploring ranging opportunities are encouraged to meet with the Westfalia Fruit team during the show.

As avocado consumption continues to grow, shoppers are placing increasing importance on eating quality and reliability. More than 80 percent of consumers actively seek consistent quality, while over 60 percent indicate a willingness to pay more for better taste. This creates strong conditions for premium varieties such as GEM to develop within retail assortments.

GEM is Westfalia Fruit’s proprietary gourmet avocado, developed to deliver a richer and creamier eating experience. Compared with standard Hass-type avocados, GEM offers a naturally smoother texture, fuller flavour and more consistent performance, positioning it as a premium choice for consumers seeking higher-quality fruit and special occasion products.

Retail performance data confirms GEM’s ability to drive incremental value within the avocado category. 40 percent of GEM shoppers are new to the category, while approximately 80 percent of sales are incremental rather than substitutive. In addition, 30 percent of existing shoppers trade up to premium, with GEM supporting a price premium of 50 to 60 percent.

Over the coming seasons, Westfalia Fruit plans to expand GEM into additional markets by introducing the variety to new customers, harmonizing branded packaging and aligning specifications across origins and regions to further strengthen consistency and eating quality.

“GEM is more than an avocado, it is a premium experience that elevates the category,” said Wim Destoop, Global Chief Customer Officer at Westfalia Fruit, in the recent release. “By combining superior eating quality with harmonized packaging and a clear visual identity, we are helping retailers unlock growth and offer shoppers something genuinely distinctive.”