Mission Produce enters the mango category

Oxnard, Calif.-based Mission Produce Inc. is entering the mango business in a big way.

A leader in avocados, Mission Produce said it is offering a year-round mango program with ripening and distribution on a global and national scale through its network.   

“We’re entering the mango category today as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago – in a way it never has been done before,” Steve Barnard, CEO and founder of Mission Produce, said in a news release.

“Mangoes offer a long runway with a lot of opportunity – as the No. 1 consumed fruit in the world, adding mangoes to our portfolio is a natural addition as we expand our footprint worldwide, without losing focus on avocados.”  

Mission currently owns about 750 acres of mangoes in Peru and is on track to source additional fruit from other premier growing regions, Stephen Fink, vice president of North American sales, said in the release.

“We began our original mango program a few years ago during a seasonal window to keep our workforce employed year-round,” Fink said in the release. “We’ve seen increasing demand from our customers, and the impressive response to our current mango program indicates we are ready to grow into the mango market.” 

Synergy with avocados

Barnard said in the release that mangoes are typically off-season from avocados, creating what he calls a complementary program with a unique synergy within Mission’s international farming business.

“Mission’s unparalleled access across its distribution, ripening and transportation network will allow the company to optimize production with the seasonality of mangoes, as it has with avocados,” he said in the release. “Entering the mango category brings additional offerings to Misson’s customer base, enhancing its ability to provide great value-added service and maximize profitability.”

To oversee the new category, Patrick Dueire has joined Mission Produce as director of mangoes, according to the release. He brings more than 20 years of international experience of growing, shipping and distributing the fruit in the U.S. and Europe, according to the release. In his previous role, he led Dayka & Hackett’s mango business, managing tropical category imports. In 2016, he was appointed to serve as a member of the National Mango Board. 
 
“Patrick is a strategic hire to complement our avocado expertise with significant capabilities in the mango industry,” Fink said in the release. “We are confident we will be able to capitalize on rising opportunities to provide high-quality mangoes and continue world-class service for our customers, without losing focus on our beloved superfood – the avocado.”