US avocado crunch: Where guacamole's days are numbered

Avocados will soon run out at smaller restaurants that don’t have the buying power of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.

For example, Salsarita’s Mexican-themed restaurants won’t be able to make any more guacamole in about a week — 10 days maybe if they can stretch it. The 75-unit chain isn’t optimistic about getting any more avocado supplies for awhile amid a suspension on imports from Mexico, which accounts for 80% of U.S. supply. So the inventory is what it is, according to Chief Executive Officer Phil Friedman.

“We’ll use what we have. I’m not going to look for any type of alternative, we’re just going to announce to our customers that guacamole is not available until further notice,” he said in an interview.

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