Takeover of the Hass Avocado: Holy Guacamole!

The obsession with avocado toast has driven up avocado prices for millennials. So how did the Hass Avocado dominate homes in California to New Zealand? Truth is, the story of the Hass Avocado began with a tasty mistake.

Long before humans hit the scene, avocados were a popular snack. This delicious fruit may have vanished with the great mammals around 13,000 years ago. But somehow, some survived. In 1926, according to the University of California, Rudolph Hass brought avocado seedlings to his La Habra Heights residence.

From here, he let his tree grow unattended. It was then known that his children discovered that the tree had grown fruit with a rich and slightly oily taste. The Hass tree now has millions of descendants and accounts for eighty-five percent of global production.

The thick skin of this fruit makes it easy to ship and is enjoyed by people all over the world. Since the patent on Hass Avocados expired in 1952, the Hass family has earned less than $4,000 in the lifetime, which equals to around $40,000 today.

The Hass Avocado is a main food ingredient in Cinco de Mayo celebrations today, which makes it appropriate given its from the Tehuacán Valley in Mexico. The original Hass tree died due to rot in 2002 at a ripe age of 76.

So next time you’re enjoying avocado toast or guacamole, you can thank the man from Milwaukee for that rich, cream, delicious taste!