Amusing Hard Sell Of Soft Avocados At Central Food Hall

[Jingthing]

As a regular consumer of overpriced avocados in Thailand, I have noticed over the years that Thai food markets are pretty clueless about how to manage the marketing of them. Most dramatically, is when you see a full tray of well beyond softed-out-rotten cados ready for the garbage still sitting there with the original retail price. Sometimes you go in a week later and they are still there! Smart marketing could involve figuring when a tray is ripe to go, and discounting them then and there, because in a few days they will be worthless.

But, no ... !!!

Central Foodhall is trying something different and amusing.

They now have two kinds of cados. Some lovely 59 baht Haas imports and some discounted awful non-Haas ones for 49 baht.

At the 59 baht tray they have a dedicated avocado lady!

What does she do? She pushes them! If you go anywhere near them, she announces, do you want to eat today and grabs a plastic bag as if you've already decided to buy. I get that she's there to discourage people from feeling too much. For two reasons. Feeling too much the wrong way DOES damage the cados and also feeling them tells you the REAL condition. I feel you really do NEED to feel them to know what you are buying. I wanted to buy but my real preference is to buy harder ones to ripen at home. These ones the cado lady was AGGRESSIVELY pushing were already a day past ripe.

Now I get their desire to move the items, but presenting this person as some kind of expert on cados defies belief. Surely she costs salary. Why not just discount when ripe and move them out? Even with the dedicated cado lady, they are going to be stuck with a tray of rotted ones. Tis a pity.

Maybe I just don't understand economics but it seems to me 30 baht a piece is better than 0 baht a piece. Of course many people will still pay full price for the pre-ripe ones (I do all the time).

BTW, it is my understanding there IS a way to safely test the cados without damaging them. Don't poke them directly. Rather place the entire cado into the palm of your hand and gently squeeze. Ironically, the correct method will freak out Thai avocado ladies more than the seemingly more limited poke.

More tips: if you bring home ripe ones, putting in the fridge delays further ripening. If you store a half a cado, store the half with the pit intact. The pit reduces exposure to air, slowing the process down.

Edited March 14, 2012 by Jingthing

[tropo]

I would pay 59 baht for a non-ripe one, but I wouldn't pay 1 baht for an over ripe one.

I never see them discounted anywhere. They're always full price until they're rotten.

[Jingthing]

To be fair, the ones they were pushing at Central as eat today were a bit beyond ripe but could have been used in guacamole. I use them for different things though, but many people do use for guacamole.

[toenail]

Jing Thing: Are you talking about Topps Grocery or the Thai produce shop downstairs at Central? I had a complaint once about Topp's lack of checkers, took the time to write to the BKK company (via email) and never received a response. Tells you something about customer service in this country--but that is another topic for a forum.

[happyaussie]

Whingers....too much service, not enough service. Don't know what planet you guys are from. But generally speaking service in Thailand way outstrips most western countries. In Australia a supermarket will have 20 checkouts with only 3 operating and sandwich shops that close for lunch.

[Rimmer]

Unnecessary vitriolic comment removed

[craigt3365]

Try the King's store right across from the Central food store. Very cheap there.

[samtam]

Choosing an avocado that is in the right condition for eating is a bit of a lottery. In one of the UK supermarkets they have "ripe" ones sold in plastic packaging, so they are obviously pre checked to fit that criteria. Perhaps I will suggest it to Central. They always seem quite receptive to customer suggestions. Sometimes display, and certainly around the fruit and veg weighing at Central Food Hall is a bit of a pig's breakfast, but by and large I think they do a pretty good job. Perhaps a bit more competition other than the Mall Group's grocery stores would improve things more, but unfortunately that is not something that is encouraged here.

[Jingthing]

Try the King's store right across from the Central food store. Very cheap there.

They had cados there once some months ago. They were small, local, cheap, and delicious. None since then. Obviously a short season.

[Jingthing]

Choosing an avocado that is in the right condition for eating is a bit of a lottery. In one of the UK supermarkets they have "ripe" ones sold in plastic packaging, so they are obviously pre checked to fit that criteria. Perhaps I will suggest it to Central. They always seem quite receptive to customer suggestions. Sometimes display, and certainly around the fruit and veg weighing at Central Food Hall is a bit of a pig's breakfast, but by and large I think they do a pretty good job. Perhaps a bit more competition other than the Mall Group's grocery stores would improve things more, but unfortunately that is not something that is encouraged here.

Sorry I wouldn't trust their definition of ripe no matter how they packed it. I reckon they would continue to pass off OVERRIPE as ripe. Sorry, but it's true.

[Jingthing]

Jing Thing: Are you talking about Topps Grocery or the Thai produce shop downstairs at Central? I had a complaint once about Topp's lack of checkers, took the time to write to the BKK company (via email) and never received a response. Tells you something about customer service in this country--but that is another topic for a forum.

Central Food Hall -- the high end Tops brand there.

[craigt3365]

Try the King's store right across from the Central food store. Very cheap there.

They had cados there once some months ago. They were small, local, cheap, and delicious. None since then. Obviously a short season.

Must be hit and miss...wifey got some a week ago or so. Had them on my sandwich last week.

[Jingthing]

Try the King's store right across from the Central food store. Very cheap there.

They had cados there once some months ago. They were small, local, cheap, and delicious. None since then. Obviously a short season.

Must be hit and miss...wifey got some a week ago or so. Had them on my sandwich last week.

Wow. I am very surprised. I'm in there regularly.

[tropo]

To be fair, the ones they were pushing at Central as eat today were a bit beyond ripe but could have been used in guacamole. I use them for different things though, but many people do use for guacamole.

I disagree. An over ripe Haas avocado with dark patches inside is good for nothing. Once they darken inside the taste changes.

You want to see trays of over ripe Haas avocados - check out Villa Supermarket - full trays at 69 ea and all over ripe.

Edited March 15, 2012 by tropo

[craigt3365]

Try the King's store right across from the Central food store. Very cheap there.

They had cados there once some months ago. They were small, local, cheap, and delicious. None since then. Obviously a short season.

Must be hit and miss...wifey got some a week ago or so. Had them on my sandwich last week.

Wow. I am very surprised. I'm in there regularly.

Sorry! Just checked with wifey and she said it was a few months ago she got them there. She said Foodland has them for about 10B each, but you have to shop early as they are gone quickly.

[Jingthing]

To be fair, the ones they were pushing at Central as eat today were a bit beyond ripe but could have been used in guacamole. I use them for different things though, but many people do use for guacamole.

I disagree. An over ripe Haas avocado with dark patches inside is good for nothing. Once they darken inside the taste changes.

You want to see trays of over ripe Haas avocados - check out Villa Supermarket - full trays at 69 ea and all over ripe.

It's a relative thing. I agree with you. I am just saying the ones I felt last night seemed to me to still be OK for guac, but still close to going off. Timing is everything.

[BugJackBaron]

So what advocados would you advocate? (hehe couldn't resist).

Are local as good as import? Enquiring advocado connnoisseurs want to know! I want to Know!

I have seen local ones sold here but not as often as import. Foodland has imports only right now and I

bought one for 55B this morning and it was great.

[Jingthing]

Usually local ones are not Haas, but like I said some months ago, the King's Project place at Central had some excellent local small Haas ones at a great price. (They don't sell imports there.) I also have never seen anything but imports at Foodland.