Mango importer expects steady supplies through Peruvian season
Mango importer expects steady supplies through Peruvian season
"We are just coming off our Ecuadorian fruit," and the Peruvian product has begun to arrive, making for "a very smooth transition from Ecuador to Peru compared to last year," Jesus (Chuy) Loza, a principal at Freska International LLC in Ventura, CA, told The Produce News Jan. 21.
Mr. Loza founded Freska Produce International LLC along with partner Gary D. Clevenger in August 2004. Both were previously with Fresh Directions International, also in Ventura. Freska, one of the top mango importers in the United States, marketed around 7 million boxes of mangos last year, according to Mr. Loza.
He expects steady supplies of mangos during the Peruvian season and a smooth transition as well into the Mexican mango season starting in late February.
"At this time last year, Ecuador had more volume and Peru had a very early peak," he said. Arrivals of mangos from Peru as of mid-January last year were 30 percent higher than this year, and Ecuador still had volume, "so there wasn't the best transition," and as a result, "market conditions last year were very, very tough." Returns were "not all that great," he said.
By contrast, "this year the transition has been very smooth. Peru is looking at having a very steady supply of fruit" in contrast to last year's high peak, he said. So far this year, "the volume has been very steady and pricing has been very stable."
He expects that stability to continue throughout the Peruvian season. Peruvian mango arrivals in the United States should continue through mid-March, he said. "I am looking at a stable market [with] an average price of around four-and-a-half dollars through the Peruvian season," he said.
Mr. Loza anticipates a smooth transition from Peru to Mexico as well. By the time Mexican mangos start arriving in limited volume during the latter part of February, the Peruvian volume should be "winding down," he said. "So the next few months should be a very stable market on the mango front, be it from whatever origin."
According to the company's web site, Freska was established "with the sole purpose of sourcing the freshest mangos and limes from around the world to provide to our customers. Freska Produce International sources mangos from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico. We have availability 365 days a year with varieties such as Hadens, Tommy Atkins, Ataulfos, Kents and Keitts. Our year-round availability means that there is no seasonality of our mangos and consistent supplies available to you."
With production from several countries, "we tend to have a very steady supply 52 weeks out of the year with promotable volumes through the year," Mr. Loza said. "We have just completed our first full year. We did around 7 million packages," he said. "We have projected this coming year to grow around 10 to 15 percent from last year, and we really haven't had any bumps in the road. We have had very good retail support and grower support. We couldn't have had a better first year."
For the current Peruvian season, "we plan on importing roughly around 1 million boxes," he said. "This is coming off 1.5 million boxes out of Ecuador. We should have very good promotable volume through the Peruvian season." Freska will be "one of the top importers out of Peru," he said.
The mangos from Peru are the Kent variety, Mr. Loza continued. "We pack either the 'Freska' label or the 'MangoPro' label."
The quality of mangos from Peru so far this season has been "excellent," and "the reception from customers has been very good," he said.
However, "the sizing curve is a little bit larger" this year for mangos from Peru than from other areas. "We are picking 8s, 9s and 10s" primarily, which means there will be "a lot less" of the medium-sized mangos that most retailers prefer. "Conventional retail likes to push primarily 12s," he said. But this year retailers will need to "switch over to 9s and 10s, which is where the volume is," during the Peruvian season.
Freska will start its Mexican mango program this year with some Ataulfo mangos, a yellow variety, around the second week of February, with a limited supply of Tommy Atkins starting the last week in February.
"We are predicting very good transitions from growing area to growing area," he said.
The Mexican season should go through September, with Brazil starting in August as Mexico begins to taper off. Brazil will continue into October, and Ecuador will start again in early October, Mr. Loza said.
Mr. Loza founded Freska Produce International LLC along with partner Gary D. Clevenger in August 2004. Both were previously with Fresh Directions International, also in Ventura. Freska, one of the top mango importers in the United States, marketed around 7 million boxes of mangos last year, according to Mr. Loza.
He expects steady supplies of mangos during the Peruvian season and a smooth transition as well into the Mexican mango season starting in late February.
"At this time last year, Ecuador had more volume and Peru had a very early peak," he said. Arrivals of mangos from Peru as of mid-January last year were 30 percent higher than this year, and Ecuador still had volume, "so there wasn't the best transition," and as a result, "market conditions last year were very, very tough." Returns were "not all that great," he said.
By contrast, "this year the transition has been very smooth. Peru is looking at having a very steady supply of fruit" in contrast to last year's high peak, he said. So far this year, "the volume has been very steady and pricing has been very stable."
He expects that stability to continue throughout the Peruvian season. Peruvian mango arrivals in the United States should continue through mid-March, he said. "I am looking at a stable market [with] an average price of around four-and-a-half dollars through the Peruvian season," he said.
Mr. Loza anticipates a smooth transition from Peru to Mexico as well. By the time Mexican mangos start arriving in limited volume during the latter part of February, the Peruvian volume should be "winding down," he said. "So the next few months should be a very stable market on the mango front, be it from whatever origin."
According to the company's web site, Freska was established "with the sole purpose of sourcing the freshest mangos and limes from around the world to provide to our customers. Freska Produce International sources mangos from Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico. We have availability 365 days a year with varieties such as Hadens, Tommy Atkins, Ataulfos, Kents and Keitts. Our year-round availability means that there is no seasonality of our mangos and consistent supplies available to you."
With production from several countries, "we tend to have a very steady supply 52 weeks out of the year with promotable volumes through the year," Mr. Loza said. "We have just completed our first full year. We did around 7 million packages," he said. "We have projected this coming year to grow around 10 to 15 percent from last year, and we really haven't had any bumps in the road. We have had very good retail support and grower support. We couldn't have had a better first year."
For the current Peruvian season, "we plan on importing roughly around 1 million boxes," he said. "This is coming off 1.5 million boxes out of Ecuador. We should have very good promotable volume through the Peruvian season." Freska will be "one of the top importers out of Peru," he said.
The mangos from Peru are the Kent variety, Mr. Loza continued. "We pack either the 'Freska' label or the 'MangoPro' label."
The quality of mangos from Peru so far this season has been "excellent," and "the reception from customers has been very good," he said.
However, "the sizing curve is a little bit larger" this year for mangos from Peru than from other areas. "We are picking 8s, 9s and 10s" primarily, which means there will be "a lot less" of the medium-sized mangos that most retailers prefer. "Conventional retail likes to push primarily 12s," he said. But this year retailers will need to "switch over to 9s and 10s, which is where the volume is," during the Peruvian season.
Freska will start its Mexican mango program this year with some Ataulfo mangos, a yellow variety, around the second week of February, with a limited supply of Tommy Atkins starting the last week in February.
"We are predicting very good transitions from growing area to growing area," he said.
The Mexican season should go through September, with Brazil starting in August as Mexico begins to taper off. Brazil will continue into October, and Ecuador will start again in early October, Mr. Loza said.
