Avocado Week and Taste of UMass

Objective: To increase the use of Avocados from Mexico within all dining locations through innovative menu design, while also promoting the versatility of avocados and their role in healthy eating.

Campaign: During Avocado Week, UMass Dining partnered with Avocados from Mexico to highlight a variety of delicious and healthy avocado inspired meals. The innovative and flavorful dishes served October 5th through the 9th demonstrated there are many ways to incorporate avocados into a balanced diet. Students were served expertly prepared avocado dishes in residential venues. Avocados also were readily accessible for customers to purchase at any of the UMass markets. Social media played a huge roll in marketing these special core customers. In order to effectively reach students, UMass Dining heavily promoted the event on more traditional social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but also on the ever-popular app Snapchat.

Results: Avocado Week and Taste of UMass were huge successes. Students were treated to multiple days of delicious avocado dishes, and were educated on myriad ways to use avocados as a part of a healthy diet. For some students, it was the first time they tried avocados prepared in a less conventional way. UMass Dining has seen a gradual increase in student fruit and vegetable consumption in recent years, as well as plant based proteins. Reports show consumption of beef and red meat has decreased drastically.