Why Some Costco Shoppers Avoid Avocados From Peru

If you are a fan of avocados, then you know the dance of the avocado well. You don't want to buy one that's too dark and too soft because it may spoil before you even use it. If it's too firm and too green, you could wait days for it to ripen. It takes some time to learn what the exterior of an avocado can tell your about its ripeness. The more familiar you become, the easier it is to avoid these pitfalls. Unless, of course, you're dealing with some avocados sold at Costco, which customers say never ripen.

According data from the World Bank, Peru is one of the biggest exporters of avocados in the world. In 2023, the country exported nearly 660,000 tons. The growing season in Peru covers the parts of the year when Mexican avocado production is lower, making it an ideal source. Costco is one of the stores that sells Peruvian avocados, but those avocados often suffer from a problem that its Mexican avocados don't: they don't ripen properly. 

Costco customers online have frequently complain about the Peruvian avocados not ripening once they take them home. "Make sure they're from Mexico. The Peruvian ones tend to never ripen," said one Redditor. Another customer agreed in a reply and said, "The Peruvian ones are really bad." One Redditor in another thread said, "They never got ripe and stringy and hard inside. Aldi had a small bag from Peru. Had to throw them out too."

While people question why Peruvian avocados are sold at Costco sold at all, it is a simple supply and demand issue. Mexico can't keep up with the overall avocado demand on their own. Meanwhile Peru and other South American countries, which have different growing seasons because they are in the Southern Hemisphere, are there to fill in the gaps. 

Peru grows Hass avocados just like Mexico, but the climate is significantly different. Peruvian avocados grow at higher altitudes in arid landscapes that require irrigation. Because Peruvian avocados have further to travel, they are picked when they are less ripe and have a lower oil content. They need more time to ripen as a result, and uneven ripening is a common issue.

Additionally, the journey from Peru to Costco can cause bruising and expose the avocados to temperature variations, which further complicates ripening. In the end, the issue appears to be tied not only to where the avocados are grown, but also to how they are harvested, shipped, and handled before reaching Costco.

The Peruvian Avocado Commission offers tips that can help avoid ripening problems, such as placing avocados in a paper bag with bananas and apples to ripen them. These fruits release ethylene gas, which hastens ripening and can cut your wait time for a tasty avocado significantly. In fact, we think this is the best way to get a perfectly ripened avocado.