As they move into June and July, Oxnard, CA-based Freska Produce International sales people should have their peak volume of Mexican mangos for the year, indicating that it will be a great time for promotions.

“Over the next few weeks, the harvest is moving north into Nayarit and Sinaloa” in Mexico, said Gary Clevenger, managing member and co-founder of this mango-centric importer, in mid-May.

Freska imports from many different Mexican regions during that country’s eight-month season, but Clevenger said from the middle of June through July, volume will be at its peak. “We will have Tommy Atkins, Kents and Ataulfos.”

He said quality has been excellent this year and he expects that to continue throughout the summer. “For that time period, we won’t have a lot of large fruit and we won’t have a lot of small fruit. We will have mostly 9s, 10s and 12s.”

He said when the harvest moves further north to the Los Mochis area later in the summer, which features a significant volume of the Keitt variety, the fruit will be much larger — with many 4s, 5s, 6s and 7s. (The number system refers to the number of mangos that fit in the typical 10-pound shipping carton. For example, 5 size means there are five pieces of fruit in the box with each averaging about two pounds.)

Clevenger said retail promotions have been very good this year and movement has followed suit. “We’ve [the industry] imported a couple million more pounds this year over last. Whether it is the marketing program [of the National Mango Board] or just individual retailers doing a better job, I can’t tell you, but we are moving more fruit and the f.o.b.s are staying strong ,so that’s a very good sign.”

He said many retailers are promoting both the red and yellow mangos together which is a great way to increase sales.

The longtime mango shippers said status quo remains the order of the day at Freska “but we are working on a couple of new mango packs. We don’t have anything to announce yet but we have something in the works that will feature a smaller pack.”

Clevenger said that as mango movement continues to increase and gain popularity with consumers, retailers are asking shippers and importers for different retail packs. “Nobody has come up with anything yet that has stuck, but we’re working on it.”

Retailers are interested in packs that will encourage multiple sales. Multiple mangos in clamshells and bags have been tried by some with success.

While mango supplies will increase over the next six weeks, Clevenger said the fruit will have much competition for promotion and ad space. Grapes and stone fruits from California as well as cherries from California and the Northwest will fight for those premium in-store spots.

“But mangos can give a good tropical flavor to a produce department, so we expect to continue to get space,” he said.

Clevenger added that one of the big keys to increased sales is keeping that shelf space during the competitive summer months.