Mission Produce, one of the world's leading avocado companies, has announced it is entering the mango category with a year-round program.

The company says it will be the first-of-its-kind to incorporate ripening and distribution on a global and national scale through its advanced network.

“We’re entering the mango category today as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago– in a way it never has been done before,” said Mission CEO and Founder Steve Barnard.

“Mangos offer a long runway with a lot of opportunity– as the number one consumed fruit in the world, adding mangos to our portfolio is a natural addition as we expand our footprint worldwide, without losing focus on avocados.”  

Stephen Fink, Vice President of North American Sales, said the company is in a "prime position for market expansion". It currently owns 300 hectares of mangos in Peru and is on track to source additional fruit from other premier growing regions, he said.

“We began our original mango program a few years ago during a seasonal window to keep our workforce employed year-round. We’ve seen increasing demand from our customers, and the impressive response to our current mango program indicates we are ready to grow into the mango market.” 

Barnard added that mangos are typically off-season from avocados, so this complementary program creates a "unique synergy within our international farming business".

"Mission’s unparalleled access across its distribution, ripening and transportation network will allow the Company to optimize production with the seasonality of mangos, as it has with avocados," he said.

"Entering the mango category brings additional offerings to Misson’s customer base, enhancing its ability to provide great value-added service and maximize profitability." 

 To oversee the new category, Patrick Dueire joins Mission Produce as Director of Mangos, bringing more than 20 years of international experience in growing, shipping and distributing the fruit in the U.S. and Europe.

In his previous role, he spearheaded Dayka & Hackett’s mango business, managing tropical category imports. In 2016, he was appointed to serve as a member of the National Mango Board. 

 “Patrick is a strategic hire to complement our avocado expertise with significant capabilities in the mango industry,” Fink said.

“We are confident we will be able to capitalize on rising opportunities to provide high-quality mangos and continue world-class service for our customers, without losing focus on our beloved superfood– the avocado.”