Ronnie Cohen, vice president of sales for Vision Import Group, headquartered in River Edge, NJ, explained to The Produce News about how the company’s mango program is organized so that it has year-round supplies of high-quality mangos.

The company sources from Central American and South American countries as well as Mexico.

“We are currently transitioning from northern Mexico, which is wrapping up with the Keitt variety,” said Cohen. “Brazil started about a month ago with arrivals exclusively into Northeast ports.”

Brazil produces the Tommy Atkins variety almost exclusively. Cohen said it has the most color and the best yield, and it holds up best under the hot water protocol.

The variety also takes the up to 14 days travel to the United States, as long as there are no major weather issues such as hurricanes in the Atlantic to slow shipments down.

“The Brazil program runs through late October and possibly into the middle of November, depending on weather conditions,” said Cohen. “The next deal is Ecuador, which traditionally begins shipping the first to middle of October starting with the Ataulfo, then moving thereafter into the Tommy Atkins variety. This deal ships into Northeast, Southeast and Western ports. Ecuador traditionally will go through end of year, and sometimes they supply us with a few Kents at the later part of their season.”

Delivery into western ports helps to supply Vision Import Group’s partner, Vision Produce Co. in Los Angeles. Referred to as the “Vision Companies,” the two firms share unified national distribution. Although separate firms, being united enables both to market their popular brands nationwide. Vision Import Group markets east of the Mississippi River, and Vision Produce Co. handles the west.

Bill Vogel, president and chief executive officer of Vision Produce Co. is a partner along with Cohen and Raul Millan, executive vice president of Vision Import Group.

The company’s Pharr, TX, facility is under the Vision Import Group banner. It also has an office in Lakeland, FL, which is managed by Bruce Letchworth.

“As Brazil progresses and volumes reduce, the Ataulfo and Tommy Atkins from Ecuador start coming into Southeast ports,” said Cohen. “We supply the west from the northeastern ports.”

Peruvian mangos start shipping in mid-December to mid-January. Cohen said it was too far out to know exactly because the weather will dictate the start. The majority of Peruvian mangos are Kents, which run through April, give or take a couple of weeks. Peruvian growers also produce Tommy Atkins and Ataulfo mangos, but their crop is mostly the Kent variety.

“At this time we have four countries going at one time,” explained Cohen. “We transition from Peru to Costa Rica, which starts the first of February to the West Coast and Southeast, although a small amount comes into the Northeast.

“In the middle of February to early March we have mangos from Nicaragua,” he continued. “These are shipped heavily into the Southeast and a little goes to the West.”

In March, Guatemala begins with Tommy Atkins and Ataulfo, which are also shipped into all three regions.

Mexico begins as early as January with the Ataulfo, then growers move into some reds, Haden and Tommy Atkins varieties.

Cohen said that some of Mexico’s mangos stay in their domestic market, depending on the demand.

He added that mangos from Brazil, Peru and Mexico all carry the company’s “Van Gogh” brand.

Both Vision Import Group and Vision Produce Co. market the “Van Gogh” branded mangos as well as lime labels “Mojito,” “Havana” and “Mr. Squeeze.” Vision Produce Co. also sells limes under the “Bonito” and “Logger” brands in the western part of the country.