Six Sweet Ways to Sell More Mangos

Retailers should offer variety, organics, value packaging, impulse-grabbing displays, and education to grow mango sales.

More mangos are finding a place on Americans’ plates. While mangos represent less than 1% (0.79%) of total produce sales, as shared by the Orlando, FL-headquartered National Mango Board (NMB), the real story of this fruit’s transformation from an exotic tropical into a kitchen staple is its intake and sales trajectory.

For one, per capita consumption of fresh mangos has almost doubled from 1.9 pounds in 2005 to 3.6 in 2023, based on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service statistics. The NMB aims to double this again, targeting 7 pounds per person by 2030.

Secondly, dollar sales at retail have also nearly doubled from $469.5 million in 2019 to $776.8 million during the 52 weeks ending March 23, 2024, per Circana Integrated Fresh Market Advantage information.

Thirdly, in 2021, 22% of consumers purchased mangos, according to NMB data. This percentage grew to 23% in 2022 and 26% in 2023.

Steve Barnard, chief executive officer of Oxnard, CA-headquartered Mission Produce, hit the nail on the head last year when he wrote in an article on Mission’s website, “Mangos are the next avocados.”

The company, a world leader in Hass avocados, introduced its year-round mango program in 2021.

“Mangos are the world’s most popular fruit,” says Mathew Forbes, category manager at Weis Markets, a 200-plus store chain headquartered in Sunbury, PA. “We knew by promoting mangos, we’d appeal to a wide range of our customers.”

Retailers can reap the benefits of consumers’ mango mania by offering greater variety, organics, value packaging, impulse-grabbing displays, education, and promotion to grow fruit sales.

1. GO FOR GREATER VARIETY

Tommy Atkins is the variety Weis Markets offers most of the year. “A consistent flavor and eating experience allows customers to have the same great experience every time they purchase,” Forbes says.

At Big Y Foods, Inc., an 80-store chain headquartered in Springfield, MA, and the NMB’s Mango Retailer of the Year for 2024, the main varieties stocked are Honey/Ataulfo, Keitt, Kent and Tommy Atkins, says Adam Hession, director of produce and floral. “We’ve also experimented with larger mangos.”

Red mangos (Tommy Atkins) represent over half (57.3%) of mango sales, up 1.7% in the last year, according to data shared by the NMB. Yellow mangos (Honey/Ataulfo) are at 14.6%, down 0.8% from the year prior, while green mangos (Keitt and Kent) represent 7.5%, down 0.7%.

“Ataulfo sales have increased in the U.S. Northeast and Midwest due to this mango’s creamy texture,” says Annabell Vidal, chief executive officer of dVida, in Houston, TX.

Haden and Palmer are among the top varieties favored in South Florida for their local cultivation and freshness, according to Denise Gomez, marketing manager for J&C Tropicals, in Doral, FL, which sources fruit from seven Central and South American countries. “Sweeter varieties, like the Francis and Ataulfo, are more popular in the northeastern states.”

It’s becoming more common for retailers to offer both large mangos and smaller varieties, like the yellow Ataulfos, according to Cindy Swanberg Schwing, vice president of marketing for Splendid by Porvenir, in Nogales, AZ, which markets its yellow mangos under the Jaguar brand.

“They decide on the size that brings them the price point they need to set. As the industry has PLUs for different-sized mangos, checking out simply means scanning the PLU stickers, making measuring the volume of mangos sold in different sizes much easier.”

In March 2024, Goldenberry Farms introduced its palm-sized Sweet Sugar Mangos to the U.S. market. Its marketing campaign, “We’re Small, Sweet, and Easy to Eat,” spotlights the fruit’s distinctive qualities: small size, exceptional sweetness with a brix of 22, and ease of consumption.

According to Michelle Anders, communications manager for the Miami, FL-based business, the small fruit is available from April to August, sourced from microclimates across Latin America, including Colombia and Ecuador.

Sweet Sugar Mangos, sourced from Peru from March to May, are among the 14 mango varieties sold by Melissa’s/World Variety Produce.

“There’s an increase in mangos imported to the U.S. from countries like Vietnam and Australia,” says Robert Schueller, director of public relations for the Vernon, CA-headquartered specialty produce supplier.

For example, Pink and Golden Elephant, R2E2, and Hoa Loc mangos are all available year-round from Vietnam.

“The industry is seeing demand rise for varietals, like Mallika, Nam Doc Mai, and Kiew,” says Nissa Pierson, sales and marketing direction for the organic mango program at Crespo Organics/RCF Distributors LLC, in Rio Rico, AZ. “These are flavor-forward, seasonal mangos the Crespo family grows in Mexico that offer something new to curious and health-minded shoppers.”

2. OFFER ORGANICS

According to NMB data, conventional mangos represent 95.6% of sales, up 0.4% from the year prior, while organic mangos are at 4.4%, down 0.4%.

Organic mangos are available year-round, with supplies from Mexico as the primary source from March to September, and Peru and Ecuador supplying from October to February. However, the availability may fluctuate due to weather conditions and certification processes, says Gary Clevenger, managing member and co-founder of Freska Produce International, LLC, in Oxnard, CA.

In April, Crespo Organics introduced its new promotion, Mango Wellness Month, which educates consumers on organic as part of a healthier eating, farming community, and soil. The company is one of the only direct-trade organic mango programs functioning at scale, delivering traceability and fairness in every box.

3. SWEETEN SALES WITH VALUE-PACKS

Packaged mangos represent over one-quarter (25.2%) of retail sales, based on NMB-provided data.

According to the Numerator Shopper Comparison Report for the 12 months ending March 31, 2025, which Mission Produce shared, 19% of mango spending occurred at club stores in 2024. Shoppers are gravitating toward value-packed options.

“We launched a retail-ready mango pack earlier this year. This pack features an in-season round mango variety in a 4-count or 3-count stand-up pouch. Easy to merchandise for the retailer and grab and go for the shopper,” says Diana McClean, Mission’s director of marketing and communications.

4. BUILD IMPULSE-GRABBING DISPLAYS

Start with ripe mangos to build displays.

“We’ve pioneered custom ripe mango programs across the U.S.,” says Jennifer Anazawa, Mission Produce’s trade and category development director. “One retail partner saw household penetration and purchase frequency climb in regions with a ripe program versus those without.”

Large, vibrant, front-of-store displays help sell more mangos, says J&C Tropicals’ Gomez.

Don’t limit mangos to only tropical displays, adds Crespo’s Pierson. “Mangos work well in large, stand-alone displays and cross-merchandised next to other produce, like fresh herbs, to remind shoppers of how good they are in spring and summer salads.”

Mangos are a stone fruit and belong with the other summer stone fruit displays.

“Merchandising mangos with peaches, plums, and nectarines encourages shoppers to shift their mindset, whether reaching for something familiar or discovering something new,” says Mission Produce’s McClean.

Also, pair mangos with avocados at retail. According to the Numerator Basket Affinity Report shared by Mission, baskets with avocados and mangos are 66% greater in value than the average produce basket for the 12 months ending March 31, 2025.

5. EDUCATE WITH USAGE TIPS

According to the NMB, the main barrier to mango purchase is a lack of mango education. Education was one of the primary reasons why the NMB named Weis Markets Mango Retailer of the Year in 2023.

“Our team was able to share recipes, talk about health benefits, and share information about the power of the mango,” says Forbes.

The NMB offers retailers evergreen point-of-sale (POS) materials that showcase how to cut a mango, a ripeness meter for picking, and recipe ideation and usage information for mangos in everyday meals.

“We’ll be introducing nutritional-based content soon,” says Lavanya Setia, the NMB’s marketing director.

Crespo Organics links display and education with its POS mango bins. Each is filled with QR codes that link to recipes, how-to’s, social media contests, cooking classes, and general info on each variety.

“Innovatively, one of our favorite programs has been our grab-and-go recipe bundles. We visit stores to demo a mango recipe, then provide ready-to-go bags with all the ingredients featured in that dish. These bundles are a great way to cross-promote tropical produce alongside the retailer’s private-label products — and shoppers love convenience and inspiration,” says J&C Tropicals’ Gomez.

6. PROMOTE 12 MONTHS

There are two peak promotional periods for mangos when the volume is high, and pricing is typically low, says Freska International’s Clevenger. “From May to July, Mexico has abundant supply to support aggressive promotions. In November and December, South American imports provide opportunities for holiday promotions.”

Clevenger adds that effective mango promotions go beyond pricing, including storytelling of the fruit’s journey from farm to table, health messaging, and tying promotions to cultural events that can increase engagement.