Watch: Viral Avozilla makes a comeback at Woolies

A shopper’s encounter with an unusually large avocado has South Africans doing a double take. The fruit, now nicknamed Avozilla, was filmed sitting among the produce at a Woolworths store and the clip has since spread across social media.

Shoppers can’t quite believe their eyes

The footage, posted by TikTok user @veekinga, shows the avocado dwarfing everything else on the shelf. A sticker on the video captures the general mood: ‘What in the helly ‘

Woolworths, affectionately known as Woolies, regularly stocks a wide range of local produce, but an avocado of this size is rare enough to stop shoppers in their tracks. The clip has drawn a stream of comments from amused viewers, many tagging friends to share the moment.

So what exactly is an Avozilla?

Despite the dinosaur-sized nickname, there’s nothing modified about it. Woolworths Food says the size is not the result of genetic modification or growth-enhancing chemicals, but a natural cross between the West Indian avocado, which grows large but tends to be watery and slightly sweet, and the Guatemalan variety, known for its buttery, nutty richness. A standard medium Hass avocado weighs between 150 and 200 grams, while even the largest global varieties typically top out between 330 and 600 grams. Avozilla, by contrast, weighs in at 900g to 1.3kg, roughly three to four times the size of an average avocado.

Watch popular creator @larnell crack open an Avozilla, filling an entire serving bowl on its own.

@larnelle Replying to @user4527454209811 AvoZilla 😮‍💨🥑 #larnelle ♬ original sound – larnelle

According to Bizcommunity, the varietal was originally discovered in the Duiwelskloof area of Tzaneen and has spent several years in development and evaluation before reaching Woolworths shelves in 2026.

It’s landing on shelves for one week only in selected stores across Gauteng and the Western Cape, retailing at R59.99. Its harvesting window also contributes to its limited-edition appeal, running from late July into August each year.

No word yet on whether the shopper in the viral clip walked away with one, but given the reaction online, it seems plenty of others are keen to try.

Not everyone was convinced by the ‘giant’ label, though. ‘These are literally normal sized 🤣 – just a girl from Limpopo,’ joked user Itsmenakisani, while Malindis added, ‘We have this ones at home.’ Another commenter, went further: ‘I grow that for free in my garden.’ One user recalled selling similarly sized avocados by the roadside, joking, ‘I used to sell them in Jhb for R50 for 3. I wonder how much Woolies sells them for.’ The exchange brought a lighthearted debate over exactly which province deserves bragging rights for the biggest Avozillas, with several users pointing to Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal as the real home of the oversized fruit. Watch the original clip here.

@veekinga Spotted at Woolies 😅#avozilla #woolworthssa ♬ original sound – Star Generation

Spotted something similarly unusual on your last grocery run? Let us know in the comments.