Avocados From Mexico is taking Cinco de Mayo celebrations to another level by showing fans and bars/restaurants new ways to celebrate with avocados. They recently introduced the Guactail, a drink that takes a spin on a classic fruit-forward daquiri but loads it up with the goodness of avocados – including deconstructed guacamole and avocado frites.
Avocados From Mexico is the best-selling avocado brand in the United States, and it partnered with best-selling author and food and wine expert, Antoni Porowski, to create the Guactail – which they say is “CincOMG-worthy."
"Two of my favorite things? Cinco de Mayo and guac,” said Porowski. “And taking that to the level of creating my very own Guactail? Perfection.”
It's no surprise that Cinco de Mayo is the second biggest consumption occasion in the United States for avocados and guacamole (see footnote 1). To inspire consumers and bars/restaurants to use avocados, the Avocados From Mexico brand is supporting the festivities with a full 360 plan, including a new #AlwaysGood TV spot, shopper campaign and digital activations. The brand’s House of Goodness website also features new recipes and Cinco de Mayo facts.
“Cinco de Mayo sparks good times, just like our brand,” said CEO and President of Avocados From Mexico, Alvaro Luque. “We invite avocado lovers everywhere to share a Guactail and add Avocados From Mexico to their celebrations to make it a memorable Cinco de Mayo filled with good taste and good times.”
Recipe for Antoni's Avocado Daiquiri Guactail by Avocados From Mexico
The full recipe for the Guactail can be found below or online here.
Ingredients:
- 6 oz white rum
- 6 oz pineapple juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 oz cucumber, sliced and unpeeled
- 1 cup fresh or frozen mango
- 6 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
- 3oz cream of coconut
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups ice
Add all ingredients to a blender and combine on high for 45 seconds until mixture is smooth, frothy and thick. Garnish with avocado frites, jalapeño poppers, tortilla chips and deconstructed guac ingredients like pickled onion and tomatillo, lime and mint. After enjoying the Guactail, the customer can use the garnishes to make even more guac. Makes two servings.
Last year, avocado consumption insights from Mission Produce, Inc. – a leader in sourcing, producing and distributing fresh Hass avocados – showed that 100 million Americans were expected to celebrate Cinco de Mayo (see footnote 2). Additionally, up to 70 million pounds of avocados were expected to be consumed in 2021 (see footnote 3) by consumers at home and out at restaurants and bars.
Celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Honoring Mexican Roots
“Cinco de Mayo is a time for many to celebrate, but not everyone knows how to authentically honor the holiday and its Mexican roots,” said Greg Gallagher, vice president of brand marketing at Modelo.
Modelo – the beer born in Mexico nearly 100 years ago – recently launched its “Cinco Auténtico” campaign, an effort to empower consumers to make this year’s Cinco de Mayo as unique and rich as Mexican American culture itself. For part of the campaign, Modelo hosted the virtual Modelo Mercado, a limited-time online experience filled with authentic party supplies and décor made from Mexican and Mexican American artisans. Customers could access the Modelo Mercado vendors’ websites directly through Modelo's Instagram page through May 2, allowing them to buy hand-crafted supplies for the holiday. The site specifically featured seven Mexican American merchants from around the country.
For the “Cinco Auténtico” campaign, Modelo is also encouraging consumers to support their favorite local restaurants with “Cinco Stars” – or five stars – on an online review service. Whether it be while dining at their favorite local Mexican American restaurant or visiting other Mexican American-owned businesses, giving “Cinco Stars” is a small but powerful way to show support for small businesses.
“As a brand that’s proud of its Mexican heritage, we want to help others ‘Cinco Auténtico,’ whether it be through drinking our products or by supporting Mexican American artisans who produce festive décor,” said Gallagher. “That’s why we’re so excited to introduce the Modelo Mercado.”
Corona – another top brand that’s played an essential role in Cinco de Mayo festivities for many years – teamed up with Chef Rick Martinez to offer bolder, more flavorful ways to celebrate. Cue Corona’s latest innovation, Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita, a margarita flavor-inspired hard seltzer made with a splash of real Mexican lime juice (see footnote 4) and sweetened with agave and cane sugar. Martinez will pair the four bright flavors of Seltzerita – Classic Lime, Strawberry, Mango and Peach – with recipes from his new cookbook, Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture From My Kitchen in Mexico.
“I’m thrilled to once again collaborate with Corona and offer delicious new ways to Cinco with family and friends,” said Martinez. “My cookbook, ‘Mi Cocina,’ is a culinary love letter to Mexico, which is why teaming up with my favorite Mexican cerveza for Cinco de Mayo was the perfect way to help introduce the flavor and fun of my heritage to cooks at home.”
Corona and Martinez aim to bring the flavor to people across the country by hosting a one-day Twitter sweepstakes on Cinco de Mayo. One lucky winner will receive a visit from the Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita Cantina food truck, featuring Rick’s pairings, a mariachi band and more (see footnote 5).
“Corona believes that everyone should have a great Cinco de Mayo celebration,” said Ryan Anderson, director of brand marketing for Corona. “Through social listening, we realized that depending on where they live in the U.S., many people don’t get to celebrate with the bold Mexican flavors they crave, and they’re pretty vocal about it. This insight is what inspired us to collaborate with our friend Rick Martinez and help bring the Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita flavor nationwide.”
Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita is sold in 12-packs (12-ounce slim cans); Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita Classic Lime is also available in 24-ounce cans. Seltzerita is the most recent addition to the Corona Hard Seltzer portfolio, which includes Corona Hard Seltzer Tropical Pack, Corona Hard Seltzer Berry Pack and Corona Hard Seltzer Limonada.
Tequila Is a Must for Cinco de Mayo
For Cinco de Mayo, PATRÓN Tequila – the world’s super-premium tequila – is raising a glass and celebrating with famed streetwear designer, John Geiger. The two teamed up to once again launch the limited-edition PATRÓN x John Geiger GF-01 sneakers, featuring a colorway and rare materials inspired by the brand's agave fields in Jalisco, Mexico.
According to PATRÓN, the luxury sneaker is an example of the dedication to perfection that is at the core of everything PATRÓN does and the attention to detail that Geiger puts into every one of his unique designs. The limited-edition PATRÓN x John Geiger GF-01 sneakers drop on May 5 at 5 p.m. EST on johngeigerco.com.
PATRÓN is also sharing five bright and refreshing tasting cocktails for Cinco de Mayo, which highlight a variety of ingredients. The cocktail recipes include: Perfect Margarita, Perfect Paloma, Strawberry Summer Mule, Watermelon Patio Punch (batch serve) and High Tide.
Another leading tequila brand, Tequila Herradura, kicked off its most extraordinary cocktail to-date with the launch of the Herradura $1,000 Margarita Glass for Good Project for Cinco de Mayo weekend. The project was created in partnership with Playing for Change Foundation, a nonprofit created to inspire and connect the world through music.
As an Official partner of the Miami International Autodrome, the Tequila Herradura margarita glasses – which will sell for $1,000 – will be available for purchase for a limited time only at the West Campus Tequila Herradura & Tacos Fan Zone at the Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for the weekend of May 6 in Miami. The margarita glasses will feature a cocktail that includes Herradura's ultra-rested, ultra-premium Extra Añejo tequila, Selección Suprema. This exclusive tequila is aged in American white oak barrels for 49 months and is recognized as the tequila that created the Extra Añejo category in the industry.
“Tequila Herradura celebrates those who transform the ordinary into extraordinary, in this case through the spirit of music,” said Darnell Edmonds, Herradura's marketing manager. “With our $1,000 Margarita Glass for Good Project, we're thrilled to have the opportunity to elevate and support the great work that the Playing for Change Foundation does, transforming lives and connecting people.”
The Herradura $1,000 Margarita Glass for Good Project also celebrates the spirit of Tequila Herradura and features Herradura’s Extra Añejo tequila, Selección Suprema, Herradura agave nectar, fresh lime juice, all-natural handcrafted passion fruit liqueur and premium ginger liqueur that features orange flower water, coriander and a touch of vanilla. As a celebration of the bold flavors, the cocktail is infused with savory, smoky flavors in a stainless-steel cocktail smoking box. The cocktail is then topped with a wine of true exception, the Rare Champagne Brut Millésime 2008, one of only twelve vintages released since 1976. The margarita will be served alongside a set of two commemorative Baccarat Perfection Tumblers, which can be redeemed following the event.
In addition to these special margarita glasses, as an official partner of The Big Race, a series of creative and luxurious tequila cocktail recipes will be available at the Tequila Herradura & Taco's Fan Zone experience, located at Miami International Autodrome during the race weekend. All net proceeds from the $1,000 Margarita Glass for Good Project will support the Playing for Change Foundation.
For Tequila Don Julio – which is celebrating its 80th anniversary – the brand is focusing on offering authentic ways to celebrate the many achievements of the Mexican community that do what they do, for the love. For example, The Tequila Don Julio 80 list (which can be found at Time.com) is spotlighting the incredible Mexican community to demonstrate the immeasurable value that Mexico and Mexican individuals are making on modern culture, craft and creativity around the world. The list honors 80 individuals who embody the same level of love for their craft as Don Julio González did for his.
The Tequila Don Julio 80 features a range of notable figures, including fashion designer Victor Barragán, activist Saskia Niño de Rivera, journalist Lydia Maria Cacho, singer-songwriter Sofia Reyes along with DJ Eric Dlux, artist Claudio Limón, bartender Julio Xoxocotla and more.
And with the full return of Cinco de Mayo celebrations, Don Julio is also re-releasing the Don Julio Cinco ($5 added to your Venmo account), as a way to help consumers celebrate at bars and restaurants. The idea is to support bars, restaurants and workers, by getting people out to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and enjoy craft cocktails and culinary creations.
Designed by Claudio Limón, the Don Julio Cinco can be redeemed for $5 up until May 5th (while supplies last), which consumers are encouraged to spend at a local bar or restaurant of their choice. Up to $125,000 worth of Don Julio Cincos will be released this year in the U.S. Visit Cinco.DonJulio.com for more information.
In addition, The Tequila Don Julio Fund is matching the $125,000 worth of Don Julio Cincos with a donation to the Association of Latino Professionals For America, an organization that empowers Latino men and women as leaders of character in the nation, and provides resources that can help turn passions born out of love into professional opportunities.
“Tequila Don Julio's 80th anniversary is an important milestone for the brand where we are able to honor our late founder Don Julio González and the incredible amount of love and passion he put into building Mexico’s original luxury tequila brand,” said Christina Choi, senior vice president of Tequila, Diageo North America. “We are also proud to be celebrating the incredible Mexican individuals who, like Don Julio González, are leading with the heart to achieve their true purpose while also using our Tequila Don Julio Fund to fuel the next generation of Dons and Doñas.”
Spicy-sweet takes on Popular Mexican Dishes
Smirnoff is also giving people something unexpected – as well as spicy and sweet. They're asking Cinco de Mayo celebrators everywhere to branch outside of the traditional taco and margarita combinations and give their tastebuds something new, with flavor-packed foods that pair perfectly with the full boutique of Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind products.
To curate the ultimate showing of surprising, yet deliciously spicy-sweet takes on popular Mexican dishes, the Smirnoff brand teamed up with two chefs – food blogger and cookbook author, Esteban Castillo, and pastry and dessert chef, Jocelyn Delk Adams – to create a lineup of new recipes that will give the people what they want this Cinco de Mayo – a spicy and sweet celebration to remember.
From Guava Empanadas paired with the Spicy Tama-rita to Tri-Tip Sliders paired with the sweet Tamarind Colada, adults can get the Smirnoff recipes by visiting and following along at @Smirnoff, @ChicanoEats or @GrandBabyCakes on Instagram.
“It's no secret that people love variety and flavorful drinks throughout all their holiday celebrations,” said Jennifer Holiday Hudson, North America brand leader at Smirnoff. “As the brand 'For the People,' we wanted to give spicy and sweet enthusiasts a few unexpected twists they could get behind in time for Cinco de Mayo. No matter how you choose to celebrate this year, Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind has something for everyone! Wanting a go-to happy hour cocktail, look no further than the Spicy Tama-Rita. Want something you can just chill and enjoy? Then reach for our delicious ready-to-drink options across Smirnoff Ice and Smirnoff Seltzer.”
Available in a flavored spirit as well as the premium malt beverages Smirnoff Ice and Seltzer form, Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind is available nationwide.
Aaron Kiel, based in Raleigh, N.C., has worked in the beverage, coffee and tea industries for nearly two decades. He’s a journalist and writer at heart, but he also wears a PR hat through his consultancy, ak PR Group. He works with Questex’s Bar & Restaurant Group and has served the tea community and Questex’s World Tea Conference + Expo since 2010. He’s also the editor of World Tea News. Contact him here.
Plan to Attend or Participate in
Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023
To learn about the latest trends, issues and hot topics, and to experience and taste the best products within the bar, restaurant and hospitality industry, plan to attend Bar & Restaurant Expo, March 27-29, 2023. Visit BarandRestaurantExpo.com.
To book your sponsorship or exhibit space at Bar & Restaurant Expo, contact:
Veronica Gonnello
(for companies A to G)
e: vgonnello@questex.com
p: 212-895-8244
Tim Schultz
(for companies H to Q)
e: tschultz@questex.com
p: (917) 258-8589
Fadi Alsayegh
(for companies R to Z)
e: falsayegh@questex.com
p: 917-258-5174
Also, be sure to follow Bar & Restaurant on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest industry news and trends.
Footnotes:
1. Demand Landscape 2018
2. Projected using data from a Cinco Intentions survey, 4/13/2021 (n=1,000)
3. According to the Hass Avocado Board, reported volume for the week of April 18, 2021, was 69,888,967 pounds of avocados
4. Does not contain distilled spirits. Corona Hard Seltzer Seltzerita with Natural Flavors and a Splash of Real Lime Juice. Imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, Ill. Contains one percent juice.
5. No purchase necessary. Open only to legal residents of the 48 contiguous U.S. and D.C., 21 or older. Starts 12 a.m. ET on 5/5/22 and ends 11:59 p.m. ET on 5/5/22. No alcohol awarded with prize. Void where prohibited.