Holy Avocados?

Boston is probably the most Catholic city in the U.S. Most of my childhood friends and I were either raised Catholic or went to parochial school and there are still plenty of active parishes around. But today I saw something I've never seen before. While walking through the produce area of the South Bay Stop & Shop I saw a man in his late-30s to early-40s walk up to the avocados and make the sign of the Cross before picking one. I suppose that he could also practice Santeria or Candomble rather than traditional Catholicism; either way, I've never heard of or seen that particular observance before. Anyone have an idea what that's about?