Brazilian mangos begin to roll out in stores
The South American mango deal is under way with fruit from Brazil arriving in stores around mid- to end of September, followed by mangos from Ecuador toward the end of September/beginning of October and Peruvian mangos starting in November, according to the National Mango Board.
“So far we have not heard anything that could indicate issues regarding quality, therefore the assumption is that the quality will be as usual —from good to very good,” said Rolff Vladimir Mitton, research manager for the Mango Board.
As for the size, the Mango Board is expecting it will be mostly 9’s, 10’s and 12’s, with varieties including Tommy Atkins, Kent, Keitt, Palmer, and Ataulfo.
Panorama Produce Sales, which has 20 years of experience importing mangos from South and Central America, agreed that the quality of mangos coming out of South America this season looks promising.
“The South American mango deal just started with Brazil and quality on the first shipment was excellent,” noted Eric Nagelberg, who handles imports and sales for Panorama Produce.
The volume of South American mangos appears normal, even with the lingering logistical challenges due to supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Nagelberg added.
“It has been a very challenging year due to high costs from sea freight, transportation, cardboard and fertilizer,” he shared.
Despite those challenges, there still looks to be good opportunities to promote South American mangos.
Albert Perez, chief executive officer and grower relations for Miami-based Continental Fresh, which specializes in tropical imports from Latin America, noted that there could be a “perfect window” for Brazilian mangos.
“We’re hearing that there is potential for rain in the Mexican area of Los Mochis, which could cause Mexican mangos to end a little earlier than normal,” he shared with The Produce News. “We feel like there could be a perfect window for Brazil to come in and be able to promote for half of September and all of October — so it’s a great window for us.”
Maggie Giuffrida
About Maggie Hanna | 
Maggie Hanna received a bachelors of arts degree in journalism from the University of Arizona in 2010. After graduating, she went to work for Bauer Publishing — first as an intern for TWIST Magazine and later as an online editor for 4TNZ.com. In February of 2012, Maggie accepted the position of assistant editor at The Produce News. Over the years her role evolved to include hosting videos for PNTV and handling the company’s social media accounts. In February of 2022, Maggie took a step back from her full-time responsibilities at The Produce News to welcome her first child. She now works as a staff writer for the publication. Maggie and her husband, Grant, and son, Griffin, live in Phoenix, AZ.
