Avocado Versatility Inspires Crowds At Annual Festival

TAURANGA, Wednesday 23rd January 2013: Over 1500 avocados were devoured in Katikati this weekend as New Zealand’s avocado capital celebrated the superfruit’s health and versatility in style, breaking the record of avocados consumed at last year’s festival.

Celebrity Masterchef Nadia Lim headlined the 10th annual Katikati Avocado Food and Wine Festival at Uretara Domain on Saturday, and a huge crowd enjoyed avocado inspired mousse, ice cream and pizzas as well as cooking demonstrations and culinary competitions.

New Zealand Avocado CEO, Jen Scoular, says a staggering number of avocados were peeled, sliced, diced and mashed on the day, and it was great to see so many people celebrating one of nature’s most nutritious and delicious ingredients.

NZ Avocado ambassador, Nadia Lim, and local celebrity chef, Peter Blakeway, both drew big crowds and taught people some exciting new ways to add ‘good’ fats to your diet and increase your heart health.

“Nadia and Peter created a range of amazing avocado dishes and really opened people’s eyes to the endless ways to enjoy avocados. Nadia created an Asian avocado and prawn salad while Peter wowed the crowd with a delicious roast chicken with avocado and mini chicken avocado pizzas,” Scoular says.

“Avocado lovers certainly picked up lots of new ideas and got to sample some delicious dishes,” Scoular says.

Free samples of avocado chocolate mousse proved extremely popular, and showed just how perfect this summer ingredient can be for desserts.

An estimated 2000 people had the opportunity to relax in the sunshine, with bands performing throughout the day and six top wineries providing wine tastings, while guacamole lovers went head to head in a bid to create the best guacamole in Katikati.

“Nadia and Peter had a hard time judging the winners,” Scoular says. “It was great to see people creating the famous dip and infusing their own ideas.”

Children also competed for their share of the limelight, with avocado and spoon races and avocado art proving to be a big hit alongside more traditional fairground entertainment.

Festival organiser David Crispin says this year’s event, which was jointly run by the Pakeke and Katikati Lions clubs, will donate proceeds from the festival to the Cancer Society Lodge in Hamilton.

For all of the delicious recipes created during the festival, including the guacamole competition winning recipe, visit www.nzavocado.co.nz

About New Zealand Avocado
Avocados are the third-largest fresh fruit export from New Zealand with exports in 2011-2012 valued at $63m. Last year marked a record crop for the New Zealand industry with 3.7 million trays exported. The total crop estimated for the 2012-13 season is 2.5 million trays. 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.

2013 Katikati Avocado Festival. NZ Avocado Ambassador Nadia Lim in action. Credit Mark McKeown& NZ Avocado

2013 Katikati Avocado Festival. Sophia Alexander, 6, enjoys an avocado. Credit Mark McKeown& NZ Avocado

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