Longtime mango veteran Bill Vogel believes Mexico presents a challenge when it comes to navigating mango programs.

“It is sometimes a challenge to match what we need in the marketplace to what growers there have available,” said Vogel, president of the Vision Cos., a leading grower, importer and marketer of tropical, Hispanic and conventional produce. “We are fortunate, however, to have developed grower-direct arrangements there for a number of years, which have resulted in some real high-quality relationships with partners that grow and pack our Van Gogh brand of mangos.”

The Vision Cos. is made up of both Vision Import Group, headquartered in Hackensack, NJ, and Vision Produce Co., headquartered in Los Angeles. Vision Import Group markets to the eastern United States, while Vision Produce Co. markets in the western part of the nation.

Both companies market the Van Gogh brand mangos, as well as the Mojito, Havana and Mr. Squeeze lime labels. Vision Produce Co. also distributes limes under the Bonito, Logger and Tropic Star brands in the western United States.

In other recent news Vision has expanded in Nogales with direct cucumber, squash, honeydew and cantaloupe deals that are packed under its La Vision brand. Vision Produce Co. also recently announced the beginning of its La Vision season in mid-April, which is scheduled to run through mid-June.

“This is the sixth season for the La Vision honeydew label out of Caborca, Mexico,” said Sam Aguiar, sales representative for the firm’s Phoenix division. “The grower is anticipating heavy volumes to start.”

He added that this grower-direct program has been extremely successful because the company partners once again with Agricola Los Chacuales, which also produces its cucumbers.

“The company’s dedication to quality, performance and food safety is top notch,” added Aguiar.

The mango-growing region in Mexico extends from Chiapas in February through northern Sinaloa into September.

“Our goal of better overall [mango] quality and opportunity for advanced pricing through the entire deal has now been realized,” noted Vogel.