When did we all become avocado snobs?

If you are a lover of avocados and have been for quite some time, you may have noticed different avocados filling your local supermarket shelves since February. It’s an annual occurrence that sees the changeover of the beloved Hass avocado with the not-soloved Shepard avocados, and generally speaking, this exchange creates quite a stir.

According to Avocados Australia, Australians consumed almost 86,000 tonnes of avocados between 2016 and 2017. A statistic that can be traced back to the smashed avo obsession that swept the nation a few years ago. Although the dish has left baby boomers scratching their heads, for many millennials and Gen Zers it has become the go-to breakfast.

Thanks to the younger generations, avocados have blossomed into a common household food. However, with an increase in the fruit’s popularity comes higher expectations along with consumers who are far more selective (and protective for that matter).

After seeing numerous debates online, I decided to start asking friends, family and basically anyone I had a conversation with what variety of avocado they bough and why.

For those reading this who may be completely unaware of the differences, the Shepard avocado has a green glossy skin and nuttier flavour, whereas the Hass avocado has a bumpier outer layer and is much darker in colour with a creamier taste. But surely an avocado is an avocado, no matter the variety, right? Not so fast.

After speaking to a few people, I soon realised this was definitely not the case and avocado lovers are just as passionate as a football fan supporting their favourite team. Some shoppers have even eliminated avocado from their diet completely during this changeover, claiming they would rather avoid the fruit entirely than eat Shepard. One person I spoke to even admitted that ‘the only thing Shepard avocados are good for is to sit in the fruit bowl and make you look like you’re rich enough to afford them, they’re not worth the hassle, avocados need to be creamy’.

I decided to broaden my research and create a social media poll in an attempt to gauge what the general consensus was. However, soon after publishing the post I received several messages in disapproval and confusion, questioning how people could even vote for Shepard or vice versa.

One avocado enthusiast claimed that Shepard are undoubtedly superior due to their longevity, explaining that ‘the flexibility of Shepard skin makes it super easy to scoop all of the goodness out and there’s rarely ever a Shepard avocado with brown spots’.

Despite encountering some passionate Shepard fans, the end result revealed that 84 percent were in favour of the bumpy skinned Hass.

Of all the avocado lovers I spoke to, only one proved to be a fence sitter explaining the good and bad elements of each variety, a rare response in this day and age. ‘Shepard avocados can hold their shape in a salad and have a more desirable texture for longer whereas Hass avocado spreads really well on a sandwich and is more flavoursome’.

However, for a nation that loves its smashed avo, having a variety that cannot spread or smash, such as Shepard, pretty much defeats the purpose.

According to Coles spokesperson, Craig Little, the Shepard avocado unquestionably sells less than its creamy textured relative but their popularity is gradually improving. Perhaps this is a sign that people are finally starting to realise they aren’t that different after all, both are green, both are tasty and both are avocados.

But if you cannot bear the thought of consuming anything other than Hass then I have some good news for you the Shepard season is only around for a short three months, starting from February through until May.

It is clear Australia has an obsession, whether this obsession is healthy or not is another question.

Through writing this story I realised that avocado fans are protective, passionate and just downright stubborn (in the best way possible).

Being one of the highest consumers of avocados in the world, it was only a matter of time before we would become avocado snobs.

If you are ever bored at a party, maybe go ask the next person what variety of avocado they prefer, it will be a question sure to stir up discussion…or an argument.

All I know is that it is a dangerous world out there for a person with an avocado opinion, so on second thought, maybe keep your opinion under wraps.

By Mary Jo Dowsett