AvoIntel™: How to Unlock the Potential of Mangos at Retail
In the evolving landscape of produce retail, it's time to recognize the untapped potential of mangos as a key category for growth. Building on our CEO Steve Barnard's visionary insights in his recent article “Mangos are the Next Avocado,” this month’s AvoIntel™ delves into the data-driven strategies that can propel mangos to the front of consumer consciousness and drive significant growth at retail.
Mango Sales Are Surging
Recent data from 2023 reveals an impressive surge in mango retail sales, reaching nearly $443 million—a remarkable 38% increase of $122 million since 2019.1 These figures underscore the growing appeal of mangos among U.S. consumers, with 35% of households actively purchasing mangos, positioning them between pears (37%) and plums (29%).2 While these numbers indicate a promising trajectory, there's still room for growth.
Interestingly, only 29% of mango shoppers plan to buy mangos before heading to the store, which means that 71% of mango purchases are an impulse buy!3 So how can we tap into this impulse purchasing behavior and build shopper loyalty?
Ripe Fruit Improves Purchase Intent
It starts with enhancing the consumer experience with a high-quality product, and at Mission Produce, that means getting the ripeness right. For nearly half of mango shoppers, ripeness is one of the most important factors in the purchase decision and 35% of mango shoppers express they would buy more mangos if more ripe mangos were available.3
The Ripe factor is nothing new– avocados that are ripe and ready to eat have been impacting sales velocity for years, and now we're seeing similar patterns for mangos. For this reason, Mission Produce designs tailor-made ripe programs to meet each customer’s unique needs.
In fact, one Mission Produce retailer who enrolled in a divisional ripe mango program saw increased household penetration rates and a higher purchase frequency compared to its divisions without a ripe mango program,4 demonstrating the impact of an effective ripe program on category success.
Shoppers Want Product Education and Usage Inspiration
While a reliable mango program can help build shopper loyalty, a retailer can further promote product pull-through with strategic merchandising. Compelling displays and timely promotions can work hand-in-hand to address consumer education gaps around mangos while inspiring impulse purchases.
A substantial portion of shoppers (31%) express a need for more recipe and usage ideas, while 28% seek additional information on nutrition, and 20% desire tips on cutting and storage.3 Retailers can leverage point-of-sale (POS) materials and big, beautiful displays to address these gaps in mango education, as well as draw attention to mangos on promotion. With Mission Produce’s diversified sourcing strategy and marketplace intelligence, we provide promotional support to our partners so they can promote the right product at the right time at the right price.
One Mission Produce retailer saw a 500% lift in volume sales compared to the prior 4-week average when mangos were promoted with ad pricing!5
Join Our Journey to The Mainstream
The journey to unlock the full potential of the mango category hinges on strategic category management that prioritizes product quality and promotional merchandising. By building shopper trust with a ripe mango program, retailers can catalyze mango category growth and position this delightful fruit as a staple in households nationwide.
Join Mission Produce and seize the opportunity to elevate mangos from a niche offering to a must-have commodity—one that delights your shoppers and drives business success: https://missionproduce.com/mangos.
1Circana, Total U.S. – MULO+, 2019 to 2023
2Numerator Insights, 2023
3Online survey of 1,000 shoppers conducted 7/10/2023
4Numerator Insights, masked retailer, Jan – Dec 2023
5Circana, masked retailer, 13-weeks ending 9/3/2023
This blog content is for informational purposes only. Any recommendations included herein shall not be construed as a guarantee of future results. We make no representation or warranties, and expressly disclaim any representations or warranties, as to the validity, accuracy, or completeness of the information contained herein.
