RIO RICO, AZ — Over the last decade in its successful effort to establish the “Champagne” brand for its shippers’ Ataulfo mangos, Ciruli Bros. LLC reduced the firm’s earlier focus on marketing round mango varieties.

In recent years, Ciruli handled some of these, but “there hasn’t been real volume,” according to Chris Ciruli, chief operating officer of Ciruli Bros. Chris and his brother Charles (Chuck) Ciruli III, chief executive officer of the company, said that round mangos are playing a larger role in the firm’s 2015 product mix.

Ciruli Bros. will be shipping round mangoes — such as Haden and Kent — under the “Mr. Mango” and “Super Mango” labels.

The move is driven by retailer interest in offering more varieties than Champagne mangos on a single display. Ciruli is well positioned to fill those retail locations.

On Feb. 3 in their Rio Rico, AZ, warehouse, brothers Chris and Charles (Chuck) Ciruli III show the red Bell peppers being shipped by their firm.“Our growers grow both [Champagne and round] varieties, so they are excited to get back” to shipping more into North America, Chuck Ciruli said. “We can help our growers and get our customers what they need.”

Chuck added that about 10 percent of Ciruli’s mango volume was round varieties in 2014. Late Kents were shipped last summer. This year’s round mango shipments by Ciruli will commence in March and finish in late August.

Otherwise, on Feb. 3, Chris indicated that Ciruli’s first Champagne shipments in 2015 would begin about Feb. 16. This will be two weeks ahead of normal. “So, we will have a good start. We will be (started) off early and there is a late Chinese New Year,” which is Feb. 19.

Chuck said the Champagnes have good bloom, good volume and will be of high quality.

Chris said the southern Mexico mango deal will peak at the end of March and will have good volume until the end of April.

“We will have five weeks for nice promotions,” he added.

The northern mango deal for Ciruli Bros. will start in late May, peak in late June and will have a large volume available for July 4 promotions.  

Beyond mangos, this spring Ciruli is shipping a wide mix of Mexican vegetables. “We will have a good volume of Romas and tomatoes through April,” Chris said.

Cucumbers, bell peppers, squash and beans are also on the spring docket. Hard shell squash will be shipped in March, running perhaps as late as early May.

“That leads up the Sunnyside deal in California,” Chuck said.

Ciruli ships summer vegetables on behalf of Sunnyside Packing Co., which is in Selma, CA. These offerings include eggplants, squash, hot peppers, beans and hard shell squash. “This is our third season to handle their sales,” Chuck added. “We move from our late spring to their summer crop to give our customers consistent supplies.”

Ciruli Bros.’ Donna, TX, offices will be shipping central Mexican cucumbers and bell peppers from May until September.