Splendid sees great strides in Mexico
Splendid sees great strides in Mexico
Silver linings can be elusive, but it is a positive that food safety is top of mind for virtually all Mexican mango sheds this year.
The recall that basically ended the Mexican mango deal last year and hit Splendid Products LLC, based in Burlingame, CA, particularly hard, did result in more attention to food-safety issues this year, according to Larry Nienkerk, the president of that firm. “All of us are in a heightened state. The situation last year and FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) has everyone more vigilant as they look at their food-safety systems — and that’s a very good thing. Everyone knows they have to be in compliance (with the soon-to-be-finalized proposed FSMA regulations).”
As the mango season shifts out of Mexico and into South America, Nienkerk said in general the 2013 Mexican season has been a good one. For the most part volume was good and the market was fairly strong. He said the off-shore producers in South America have been a step ahead in their food-safety programs because many of them already ship to Europe, which has long had stricter standards.
With Mexico winding down and production shifting to Brazil, in early September Nienkerk said the market was strong and getting stronger. “It’s $5 today,” he said, “and it’s rapidly rising.”
He, in fact, predicted a strong market at least until the middle of October. “Mexico is ending a little bit early and Brazil is going to be light. There could be a bit of a gap in supplies until Ecuador hits its peak.”
Splendid typically has a lot of mango volume in the last month of the Mexican deal as the harvest moves north and then the firm’s supplies wane a bit when Brazil takes over. He said the company’s next big deal is in Ecuador and said volume should start light in mid-October and build to a peak by early November. He predicted there would be ample mango volume for good promotions once the holiday season begins as Thanksgiving approaches.