SAN ANTONIO – Holy guacamole! Avocado prices are pretty ripe and they are putting the squeeze on consumers, wholesalers and restaurants.
"We need to have armed guards standing right here," said Nando Gonzalez, whose family runs River City Produce.
A box of medium-sized avocados that cost $30 two months ago now costs him about $72. A pallet runs well over $4,000. Larger avocados cost significantly more.
It comes down to supply and demand. Weather, as well as a gap between regional growing seasons, has cut the volume shipping out of Mexico. And then there are the insatiable appetite consumers have for the fruit.
"Avocado has become much more mainstream," Gonzalez said.
Think avocado toast. It's trending across the country. And guacamole? An American consumer eats, on average, more than seven pounds of guacamole a year, according to the Agriculture Marketing Resource Center.
Avocados are a staple in Mexican restaurants, topping everything from tacos to tortilla soup.
"Usually, avocado goes on just about everything," said Miguel Villuendas, general manager at Lisa's Mexican Restaurant on 815 Bandera Road.
He said until recently, he was paying about $35 for a case of avocados.
"Right now, we're at $87 per case," he said. "We go through four or five cases a week."
Still, Villuendas said his restaurant is not raising prices and will wait it out. However, the wait may soon be over.
"I think we've seen the top of the market," Gonzalez said, adding that supply is picking up and that should soon make prices more palatable. "It's not going to happen overnight."
