Mango demand is strong, and Mission Produce it’s ready for Mexican mango season to ramp up to supply customers with ripe programs all spring and summer.
Mission Produce mango consultant Tim Beerup said in mid-April that Peru’s mango season has ended, with the industry now sourcing from Mexico, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Southern Mexico, specifically the regions of Chiapas and Oaxaca, is about halfway through its season, he said. Meanwhile, Michoacán in central Mexico is starting to progress with harvest, which is demonstrating excellent quality of tommy atkins and honey (ataulfo) mangoes.
“With Cinco de Mayo coming up, we’re supporting retailers and restaurants celebrating ‘Cinco de Mango’ with a reliable supply of high-quality, ripe mangoes,” Beerup said. “With smaller sizes, the holiday is a great opportunity to promote smaller-sized fruit, specifically sizes 10-12.”
Mangoes are moving into the mainstream, Beerup said, and Mission is partnering with retailers and foodservice operators to take advantage of volume opportunities and capitalize on the growth potential of their mango categories.
“Mission Produce has been building a strong presence in the mango industry as a reliable supplier of ripe mangoes,” Beerup said. “We continue to develop our relationships with growers in premium sourcing origins, advance our operational capabilities and scale our mango business to accommodate more volume and more customers. We kicked off 2024 by leveraging our vertically integrated mango farms in Peru to build customer relationships and provide a seamless transition into spring programs.”
Mission Produce has an extensive network of suppliers in Mexico, he said.
“Our grower network in Mexico is built on Mission’s 40-year commitment to supply relationships with Mexican growers,” Beerup said. “Mango growers in Mexico recognize the value Mission brings as a world-class marketer of avocados from Mexico with an unparalleled distribution network.”
Mexico is a top-tier origin for mangoes, he said. That is not only because of the high-quality condition of the fruit, but also because its proximity to the U.S. market shortens transit times, allowing for greater flexibility in responding to customer and consumer demand.
The Mexican mango season for Mission Produce is expected to go strong until early September, Beerup said. The main varieties for the U.S. market include tommy atkins and ataulfo/honey mangoes, with a limited supply of haden and keitt mangoes.
Volume projections for this season out of Mexico, Guatemala and Nicaragua are comparable to years past, he said. Size availability has been trending small, and the industry expects that to continue.
