They look like little gherkins and can apparently be eaten with the skin on, but there's no doubt the stoneless avocado is about to take Britain by storm.
Marks & Spencer just announced the launch of a bizarre-looking stoneless version of our favourite fruit, known as the cocktail avocado. They measure around five to eight centimetres in length, so can be eaten whole and don't pose the risk of "avocado hand", the common affliction affecting amateur chefs across the world.
If you'd rather not chow down on the skin, though, it's still possible to peel them – simply wait until the fruit is ripe, slice off one end and squeeze out the flesh from the other end, as if you were squeezing a toothpaste tube, reported the Telegraph. Mmm, appetising.
While the fruit might look like a product of genetic meddling, it's actually the result of unpollinated avocado blossom, which develops without a seed and yet contains the same smooth, rich, creamy flesh we know and love.
M&S is something of an avocado pioneer, having already offered up mini avocados, giant avocados and ready-sliced avocados in its food hall, but it describes the stoneless version as "the holy grail".
“This amazing fruit has been on our radar for a couple of years and we’re very excited to have finally been able to get hold of some for our customers to try," said Charlotte Curtis, M&S' agronomist.
Curtis said they'll probably "be in demand" as they're only available in December and the store has only been able to get hold of a limited number. The fruit is grown in Spain and usually transported to Paris where it's used in top restaurants, according to the Independent, so it's a coup for M&S to get hold of some.
Cocktail avocados also sound even more versatile than the traditional avocado. Curtis continued: “They’re perfect for snacking and lunchboxes as they can be eaten whole but can also be used for a beautiful garnish or in a salad. My top tip is to try them deep fried!” We're certainly intrigued, but at £2 a pack, we may not be making them a staple of our diet.
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