Avocado oil is gaining popularity as a key ingredient in condiments by brands like Chosen Foods, due partly to its health halo and flavor as consumers become more cautious about products made with seed oils due to perceived health concerns.
Brands at Natural Products Expo West showcased a variety of products with avocado oil – from potato chips to popcorn – and included bold callouts on packaging to tap into the fat’s health halo.
Companies like Beyond Meat switched to avocado oil for its fourth generation plant-based meat products – Beyond Burger and Beyond Sausage – enhancing the company’s nutritional profile and earning recognition from health organizations such as the American Diabetes Association’s Better Choices or Life and the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check Recipe Certification programs.
Contrarily, seed oils such as rapeseed, soybean, sunflower and safflower face increased scrutiny among US and European consumers with industry groups like the Seed Oil Free Alliance and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. citing health concerns from seed oil consumption, like chronic inflammation and heart disease, among others.
Additionally, mounting pressures from the conflict in Ukraine, a key sunflower oil-producing country, are impacting the ingredient’s use in CPG food products.
While some advocates call for reducing use of these oils, scientific research remains inconclusive. Consumer perceptions continue to evolve, influencing product formulation and market demand.
At Expo West, Chosen Foods debuted a rebrand for its line of avocado oil-based dressings, updated its core flavors, including Lemon Garlic, Classic Ranch and Steakhouse Caesar, and added Zesty Italian, Strawberry Pistachio, Greek Artichoke and Homestyle Balsamic.
The updated packaging is designed “to really pop” on shelves with a full sleeve label wrapped around the glass bottle featuring the avocado “front and center” and a larger font for the flavor name, explained Sarah Barnes, vice president of marketing, Chosen Foods.
Chosen Foods emphasized the dressing’s avocado oil by creating a window in the label for consumers to see the dressing inside.
According Chosen Foods’ internal consumer testing, 72% of shoppers who purchase packaged dressing are dissatisfied with the healthier options in stores.
To stay competitive in the crowded dressing market, Chosen Foods emphasizes “clean and simple ingredients” with natural ingredients like pear juice as a sweetener, premium vinegars and herbs, Barnes said. Chosen Foods is also introducing multiple packaging sizes to cater to different house hold needs, she said.
The company remains true to its avocado core since launching its flagship product, avocado oil. Chosen Foods expanded into other oil formats, including sprays, squeeze bottles and shortening made with byproducts of the avocado refining process. The company’s foray into condiments, including dressings and mayonnaise, reflects its positioning towards flavorful and healthy alternatives to traditional oils and condiments, Barnes said.
Chosen Foods' dressings will be available in Target, Sprouts, Thrive Market, Publix and other regional grocers next month.
