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Ataulfo

Featured, Product

Ataulfo Marketing 101

February 13, 2019

 

Shortcutting the promotion of Mexico’s yellow slipper

This is an industry geared post.

Even though the rain is currently falling and the snow dropping, spring is definitely coming. It always does and when it does mango sales increase.  The way we crave comfort food in the winter is exactly the way we crave healthy and vibrant foods in the spring.  Mangoes are both healthy and vibrant and Ataulfos are the most vibrant and healthy mangoes we have access to in our organic marketplace. The buttery smooth Ataulfo flesh  makes them extremely versatile for cooking and they are easy to please consumers price wise with  sizing at 14/16/18 vs 8/9/10. The Crespo Organic Ataulfo program is robust. Not only do we take sizing and quality seriously but we have invested in the consistency of volume necessary to build sales and ongoing national programs. The Crespo Organic seasons starts in late January and moves through the end of August, so its also long one- worthy of some attention, especially as Ataulfos take off as the fastest growing organic varietal among consumers.

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Farm, Featured

Organic Ataulfos Prepare for Picking!

January 5, 2018

2018 Promises To Be a Sweet & Fruitful Season

Our last winter crop update, published mid-November, gave us an overall positive outlook on the upcoming Mexican mango season. Ample rains had arrived in perfectly timed step and quantity, and the various stages of production from our southern regions of Oaxaca and Chiapas had progressed nicely. Good pollination and decent flowering occurred, flower drop was normal, and the fruit was transitioning desirably into the fruit set and elongation phases.

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Featured, Kitchen, News

2024 Summer Mango Mania Events!

June 21, 2024

Sweet mango-centric something’s for everyone……

 

Under The Mango Tree #SundayFunday Recipe Drop (Sundays)
Every Sunday Nissa publishes a new recipe from the Crespo Kitchen. Every season she Pushes Boundaries and comes up with creative new ideas that are easy to replicate out in the wilds of the world!

{Extra}Ordinary Monday #MangoJoy (Mondays)
As part of our {extra}Ordinary People series, {Extra}Ordinary Monday #MangoJoy showcases the joy that people experience when surrounded by mangoes, including celebrities like Cardi B. We are also featuring a variety of other folks from all walks of life: wine students, marines, jujitsu practitioners, mothers, teachers, dads, and even a gorilla.

#MangoJoy is real, and we want everyone to share it abundantly. Every Monday, our social media feed will showcase someone special and their contribution to #MangoJoy. We warn you now, it comes in various forms and is totally contagious! We hope you join in and share as we flood our stories with even more mango joy. Tag us and we will share your #MangoJoy.

#ChooseYourCut – A Lesson in Mango Cutting (Saturdays)
Cutting a mango can often be the biggest challenge or even sometimes the biggest deterrent when eating mangoes! Every week on Saturdays, all summer long we will be here to show you that YOU CAN cut mangoes with ease.  The Crespo Organic Kitchen will be featuring  our five special mango cuts: The Hedge Hog, The Cut & Slice, The Peel & Slice, The Mango Hack, and The Mexican Flower Method (for the pros, but very satisfying).

Our motto when it comes to mangoes is everyone can do it (even kids!) and the choice is yours! We teach mango cutters to choose whichever option best suits the cutters skillset and end needs, while considering the varietal, size and ripeness of the mango. With a little technique, plus a few tips and tricks from  our Crespo Organic Kitchen culinary pro’s, you can choose the best cutting option for you and your mango!

#CrespoPeople {Reels} Sunday (Sundays)
Crespo Organic is a Mexican organic produce brand specializing in the production, distribution, and marketing of organic mangoes. The brand is part of El Grupo Crespo, a Mexican family business that began around 1960 with local market chili peppers and rapidly expanded into the production and packing of fresh mangoes. Crespo Organic Mangoes/RCF Distributors (El Grupo Crespo’s USA distribution and marketing company) is one of the largest Mexican direct-trade growers, shippers, and marketers, as well as direct consumer product educators of organic mangoes in North America.

We grow, ship, and pack mangoes from all over Mexico, and we market them all over North America. Our people are the roots of our brand, and we want you to know us! Jump onto Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok every Sunday during Summer Mango Mania and learn who we are. “We” also includes our customers, retailers, and shoppers, including the little Crespo niños out there! Follow the hashtag #CrespoPeople to never miss out on learning about these people YEAR-ROUND!

 3 Minute Mango Expertise from Under The Mango Tree (Wednesdays)
By giving just 3 minutes of your time once a week, you can gain top-notch MANGO EXPERTISE from our resident mango crackerjack. Join Nissa during Summer Mango Mania in July and watch and learn from wherever you are. She explores every aspect of the mango supply chain, from orchard to table, to find the experts and advice we need most. Known for her passion for education, Nissa believes that access to information creates positive change—this is her way of providing it in a sweet, simple dose of just 3 minutes! You will find each episode on Under The Mango Tree, Nissa’s Linked in and Crespo’s You Tube Page!

 Are You “CURIO” About Spices & Mangoes? (Wednesdays)
If you follow Crespo Organic Kitchen, you’re aware of our dedication to infusing spice into our mango recipes. Our enthusiasm stems largely from our total obsession with Curio Spice Company, renowned for its exceptional roster of ethical spices. Aligned with our shared mission, which aims to enhance the livelihoods of farmers and farming communitie, our brand was established to do this in Mexico and in our farming communities and theirs globally and in their local backyard of Boston. Direct sourcing & supply is our straight line and theirs and certainly we align even further on the culinary education, innovation and general sharing of knowledge that they do exceptionally well!

Every Week during Summer Mango Mania, with Curio as our muse, Nissa, our resident mango crackerjack, will showcase the art of spicing mango recipes, shedding light on her favorite  curio spices while introducing both familiar and novel mango recipes. These spiced creations will be spotlighted on Crespo’s IG channel through posts, reels, stories, or live sessions.

To further intensify the spice (who doesn’t like it hot & spicy??), we’re offering a weekly giveaway featuring one of Curio’s spices featured in our weekly recipes. To participate and stand a chance to win, simply share the weekly Curio Spiced Mango Recipe to your Instagram story, tag us @CrespoOrganic and Curio @CurioSpice

 Authentic Mexico  (Snapshots of People  & Culture) (Wednesdays)
Sharing our Mexican culture is a big part of our brand mission. This not only means educating about our farming communities in Mexico but also sharing the people, food, and recipes of our land and paying attention to how they merge into other cultures!

Every Wednesday during Summer Mango Mania, we give you a sweet glimmer of all the #MangoJoy in recipe and food form from the streets of Mexico—Sinaloa, Oaxaca, and Chiapas—as well as our warehouse border home bases in Nogales, AZ, and McAllen, TX. We’ve got some special snapshots coming from Mazatlán and Mexico City this season too!

 Facebook Giveaway Monday (Mondays)
This one is as simple as – We’re Givin’ Stuff Away But You Gotta Work For It! Head to Facebook @CrespoOrganic  ever Monday at 12 CST to join in in the fun, everything from a case of dried mangoes to T-Shirts and Hats! We are giving folks for the month of July!

 Friday Night Kitchen Reels! (Fridays)
Every Friday night we teach you how to make our favorite summer recipes in video form! The Salt Gypsy ( Tina DeGraff and our own in-house mango crackerjack Nissa demonstrates the do’s and don’ts of the tastiest mango recipes and whether you are out on the town of cuddled into the couch you can learn on the fly!

I Spy #CrespoOrganicMangoes (Fridays)
This is a fun way to interact with our mangoes and shower our retailers with love. Post all week on any aspect of Instagram, Facebook or Linked photos or videos of Crespo Organic Mangoes (Fresh or Dried) on your local retailers display. Tag us and tag the retailer (must tag both!) Every Friday we pick a random winner, as we showcase all of our beautiful mango displays around the country. You have the entire month of July to win, the more you post, the more chances you have to win. (Post must be different each time, you can’t just repost over and over!)

IG Giveaway Thursday (Thursdays)
This one is as simple and exact  as the Facebook giveaway – We’re Givin’ Stuff Away But You Gotta Work For It! Head to our IG page @CrespoOrganic  every Monday at  12 CST to join in in the fun, everything from a case of dried mangoes to T-Shirts and Hats! We are giving folks for the month of July!

 Mango Queen Monday (Mondays)
The launch of the Crespo Organic Mango Queen specialty mango line has sparked significant excitement, and it’s now time to further enlighten consumers about these uniquely lavish mangoes. Offering three special varietals, the Mango Queen line is set to continue to captivate consumers with its premium offerings. Through the weekly Summer Mango Mania event, Nissa will share Crespo family’s history in specialty mangoes and their remarkable industry achievement, highlighting the brand’s meticulous approach to introducing these mangoes and its dedication to consumer education, showcased through innovative packaging solutions. Emphasizing cultural respect for the Indian and Thai origin mangoes grown in Mexico, Nissa invites you to join her weekly sessions Under the Mango Tree for a rich array of video content, recipes, tips, and tricks derived from her extensive culinary and mango expertise. Look out for her blog posts on various social media platforms to support this special and engaging venture!

In- Store Mango Tasting & Cutting Demos  (Varies)
Join us as we spread #MangoJoy in person and discover from the source what mango shoppers really want! All season long, the Crespo Organic Kitchen team hits the road to meet mango lovers in person. Despite the busy Summer Mango Mania, we make time to engage with Crespo fans, teach them about our mangoes, and learn from their feedback. Everyone gets a chance to taste our delicious mangoes, buy mangoes on sale, and help us improve.

We rotate a small team among stores on each coast and in the Midwest. Each store features mangoes on sale with a big, beautiful display. This joyous process allows us to learn more about our mango shoppers’ needs and ensures they have a great time at our displays while learning about mangoes. One taste of mango at a time, we educate, engage, excite, and entice—this is the essence of Summer Mango Mania.

Juicy Mango Expertise (Saturdays)
We have gathered all our friends who make what we do possible. From orchard to table, we have it covered, advise from the experts in their field- the mango orchards, the packhouse, food safety & certifications, merchandising, retail price-points, recipe development, mango photography, videography and copy; taste testers, Category managers and some kids! For all of July, once a week we bring you tips, tricks, insight and even some truths and lies. Lots of humor and lots of education!

July Ripe Mango Challenge (Wednesdays)
Ripe mangoes are a problem that non mango lovers just can’t understand, but for those of us that fill our fruit bowls with #MuchosMangoes, the problem is real and it can hurt the heart to miss the window on the optimal time to enjoy your ripe mango!

Every summer, as part of Summer Mango Mania in July, we focus on providing solutions for handling ripe mangoes. Our featured tips and tricks cover how to assess ripeness before mangoes become overripe and what to do with them once they reach that stage. Join us as we explore the art of creating mango puree and discover why keeping ripe mango puree in your fridge can lead to spontaneous summer delights. Learn how to chop and freeze mangoes for easy access to make pies, tarts, and refreshing beverages to beat the heat. And, of course, expect a delightful dose of popsicle madness, fitting for the summer season!

KICK It with Us! (Kids in the Crespo Kitchen) (Saturdays)
KICK (Kids in the Crespo Kitchen) aims to spark the culinary passion in your little niños by encouraging them to join in the kitchen activities alongside adults and even independently. Engaging children in cooking not only introduces them to new dishes but also nurtures their adventurous taste buds. Mangoes stand out as the ideal ingredient to entice kids into the kitchen due to their sweetness, unique tropical flavor, and nutritional benefits. Let’s face it #MangoJoy is real and kids know it!  Throughout July, our KICK team, comprising professional culinary folks and real live kids, will share valuable insights, tips, and creative ideas to make kitchen experiences fun and exciting for niños of all ages.  Explore a variety of recipes crafted by our in-house KICK chef, #ChefSvea, who started developing culinary skills at the age of 10 and is now 21. By playing along, not only will your kids develop a fondness for mangoes but also embrace a healthier diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Join us for a collection of engaging activities with personalities like #IvinTheYouTubeStar, Luis Roberto Investigative Reporter, Levi the Mango Chooser and other {extra}ordinary niños! There are no age restrictions for learning in the kitchen, and we are going to prove it!

Let’s Ask the Chef! (Wednesdays)
Every Tuesday throughout Summer Mango Mania we will share #MangoJoy from some of our favorite Chefs and Mixologists. We give them some mangoes; they make mango magic. It’s the purest kind of joy there is.

We cover a wide spectrum of cuisine and expertise with this summer’s chosen chefs and mixologists and every week you get to learn who they are, how they got where there are and what they made with our mangoes!

Nissa kicks off the series herself on Tuesday June 25th. She will announce the featured chefs and mixologists for the month of July and give you insight into her own culinary story.  She’ll do this all live while making Summer Mango Buns in her woodboring pizza oven!

Tuesday July 2cnd –Jessica Botta/Chef & Culinary Instructor (Baking with Mangoes!)
Tuesday July 9th  –  Yarra Herrera/Chef Hellbender, NYC
Tuesday July 16th  – Vilda Gonzalez/Chef, Cookbook Author (The Fishwife Cookbook Spring 2025)
Tuesday July 23rd  – Laura Sanfilippo & Tara Heffernan/Mixologists, Lo and Behold (Cocktails & Mangoes
Tuesday July 30th  – Palak Patel/Chef, Author, Beat Bobby Flay ( Food is Love Giveaway!)

Live From the Crespo Organic Kitchen (Sundays)
We let you in the Crespo Organic test kitchen live where Yahmina and Nissa and some special guests will be making all kinds of mango concoctions and working on mango mania joy!

 

Yahmina’s Choosing (How To Select Mangoes) (Wednesdays)
Yahmina is a key member of the Crespo mango crew frequently found in stores conducting Mango Tastings & Cutting Demos. Through firsthand experience, she’s familiar with the common queries of mango lovers when selecting mangoes. Cookie cutter industry fake news, not every consumer seeks a ripe, ready-to-eat mango at point of purchase. Yahmina’s insight recognizes the importance of offering help so mango lovers evaluate and understand their varying preferences and this weekly selection educational will do just that!

Whether you plan to enjoy your mangoes immediately after purchase, reserve them for an upcoming #TacoTuesday, use them in a cake or salad, or experiment with the Mango Hack, Yahmina is here to help. Drawing from popular questions during mango demonstrations, she will provide all the answers and equip you with essential tips and tricks for selecting the ideal mango for your next moment of #MangoJoy.

 Mango Higher-Ed  (aka CRESPO MANGO SCHOOL) (Mondays)
Schools in for the summer! And it’s the sweetest of all summer schools.  Once a week we flood your social media feeds with education on how mangoes go from orchard to table. It’s a big process- and oh yeah, we have a class called “Our Process”- same with “Our Story” and “Our Home”.  In addition, mango lovers learn about Mango Blooms, the hot water bath and a bevy of other mango related subjects. Basically you’ll get all the sweet deets on where your food comes from as it pertains to mangoes!

 Mango Libation Monday’s (Mondays)
Whether you drink alcohol or not by the end of Monday most of us need some way to unwind and quench the thirst that got drained from us on an ordinary Monday. Mango Libation Mondays celebrates the power of mangoes in liquid form. Not only will our social media feeds be filled with recipes, ideas and tips on how to drink mangoes (with or without the booze) but we go live on occasion to show your some of the Crespo Organic Kitchen favorites, plus a few impromptu treats as we are known for! We will feature some of our favorite mixologists as well on this month-long libation filled journey.

If you like booze, we will teach you about some of our favorite Mexican liquor makers, celebrating all things #HechoEnMexico. And for the booze free we offer delicious booze free options on the classics.  The Modern Mango Margarita, plus a fun GIVEAWAY will be featured. We kick off the series live with our non-alcoholic fizzy mango elixir that will wow you and be in your  daily summer rotation!

Meet The Crespo’s (The Original Crespo People) (Tuesdays)Crespo Organic is a Mexican organic produce brand specializing in the production, distribution, and marketing of organic mangoes. The brand is part of El Grupo Crespo, a Mexican family business that began around 1960 with local market chili peppers and rapidly expanded into the production and packing of fresh mangoes. Crespo Organic Mangoes/RCF Distributors (El Grupo Crespo’s USA distribution and marketing company) is one of the largest Mexican direct-trade growers, shippers, and marketers, as well as direct consumer product educators of organic mangoes in North America.

Jump onto Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok every Tuesday during Summer Mango Mania and learn about the family behind the brand! Each week, we will feature one of the Crespo’s and highlight everything from what they do for the family business to how their mango life started and at what age. We will also find out everyone’s favorite mango variety

Nissa’s  Mango Book Club  (Wednesdays)
Oprah did it. Reece did it and now Crespo Organic is jumping into the world of book clubs, but with a mango twist! Book lovers can dive into a literary adventure while savoring the sweetness of mangoes and Summer Mango Mania- destress with us, read with us, celebrate all things mango alongside us!

Mango season is a bustling time for all of us involved in production and distribution. It’s a period filled with chaos and hustle within a short timeframe. Nissa & Yahmina have always engaged in the calming power of books, finding solace and respite from the grind in reading. We thought it a great idea to share in the #MangoJoy with other fellow readers who are also mango lovers!

Each mango season, we carefully select a book that resonates with our mango-loving souls. Whether it’s set in lush orchards, production zones, or features characters with a passion for mangoes, our choices are designed to spark mango curiosity.

At the onset of Summer Mango Mania, Nissa will introduce the book and then throughout the season, we will all leisurely read, with weekly check-ins from our Crespo Culinary staff for our fellow readers to chime in their thoughts along the journey. We will offer mango-centric recipes perfect for eating while reading books .

The experience comes to a close with a laid-back ZOOM book club meeting, where participants can come together to discuss and connect- optimizing collective #MangoJoy. To add flavor to the discussion, the Crespo Organic Kitchen will provide a special mocktail and nibble recipe inspired by the book. Get ready for a casual and organic book club experience that pairs perfectly with the summer mango vibes.

 Our  Mango Packhouse ~ El Original (Empaque Don Jorge) (Thursdays & Saturdays)
Our Summer Mango Mania excitement wouldn’t be complete without taking a close look at the place that has done all the heavy lifting since the 80’s. Empaque Don Jorge, our home, our mango packhouse! Our everything! With the capacity to pack over a million pounds of mangoes per day in peak season, this spectacular place will wow you!

Bringing mangoes from the orchard to your table is no easy feat. Throughout the summer, we’ll offer firsthand insights into the challenges of this process and proudly showcase our state-of-the-art, efficient mango packhouse as an integral part of this journey. Oh and we want to make sure our Spanish speakers get easy access so we’ll be slappin’ down content in Español regularly with this one!

Empaque Don Jorge, situated in Rosario, Sinaloa, is a cutting-edge mango packhouse that’s been part of the Crespo family legacy since the early days. These days its been totally revamped and boasts a modern infrastructure and efficiency to handle large volumes of mangoes, both conventional and organic, including meeting USDA hot water treatment requirements. The packhouse is THE significant hub in our summer supply chain, ensuring product quality, food safety, and compliance while enhancing the sustainability of mango programs. With various updates and expansions, Empaque Don Jorge stands out for its advanced facilities and commitment to providing quality mangoes to the US and Canadian markets. The packhouse also plays a crucial role in supporting local communities by offering year-round employment and maintaining high standards of labor and operational practices. All of that and more is what to expect!

Pushing Boundaries (Recipe Testing with Nissa) (Thursdays)
The mastermind behind the Crespo Organic Kitchen and our in-house crackerjack, Nissa Pierson (and yes she also manages the entire organic category as the full-time part of her gig with El Grupo Crespo) is a long time recipe developer and loves to make new recipe ideas for mango lovers.

 Recipe Roulette with Mango Hunter Jeff Ray ( Fridays)
Jeff has asked us a lot similar questions to what we receive in our inbox every day from our followers and mango customers as they start to increase the quantity of their mango purchases, the top question being“ how can we use them?”

We have spent a lot of time thoughtfully thinking about this question and pairing our ideas with the very real challenges home cooks have; time constraints and ease of recipe being the main struggle.  We were born to give useful tips, ideas and solutions for the everyday mango shoppers.

We not only create recipes that are (mostly) fairly easy to execute and re-creatable for home cooks in any region of the US, but recipes that are enjoyable to make, healthy to eat, and above all mango-centric recipes that cookers will want to make over and over again, and they will never feel like we’ve just haphazardly added chopped mango to a normal recipe.

Together with Jeff we came up with a fun game for Summer Mango Mania: Recipe Roulette.

The goal is simple he re-creates a few of our mango recipes and critiques them in terms of ease, flavor, #MangoJoy and above all would he re-create it or recommend to others that they make it?The series launches by Mango Hunter’s viewers voting on three recipes he will recreate in July and then he does his magic, and we prove that we’ve done ours! Tune into both Instagram channels (@JeffRayFilms & @CrespoOrganic) to watch all the mango magic!

 Taco Tuesday (DUH) ( Tuesdays)
Join #TheCrespoOrganicKitchen on #TacoTuesday. We will feature a bombardment of modern and traditional taco everything, hoping to not just inspire for more mango and taco use, but so that our mango lovers can take their tacos to the next level!

We’ll showcase  an array of the best of Crespo Organic Kitchen all all our favorite taco and taco accompany recipes like our Mango Margarita Pit that utilizes the Mango pit, the perfect mixer cocktail or mocktail versions of a margarita- aka best  drink to have with tacos. And yes, our Crespo Sinaloa Sauce, Taco Sauce, Pico de Gallo and more! #TacoTuesday is no joke, this will prove that!

 The Best Dried Mangoes You Ever Had! (Wednesdays)
A few years ago, we introduced the Crespo Organic Dried Mango line, bridging the gap between PRODUCE and GROCERY and garnering an enthusiastic following. Customers consistently rave about our dried mangoes, often declaring them the best they’ve ever had. This summer, we’re excited to share all the flavorful details about our beloved dried fruit. From exploring the orchards and packhouse to unveiling the thoughtfully chosen packaging and delving into the unique characteristics of each SKU, complete with testimonials. We’ll also showcase the snacking versatility, health benefits, and nutritional value of our dried mangoes, along with creative ideas for incorporating them into your culinary repertoire. Stay tuned for a sneak peek at our upcoming e-commerce website launch this fall, where you can easily purchase your own supply of #MangoJoy in the form of our delicious dried mangoes!

 Treats On The Streets ( Varies)
By collecting data on mango consumer behavior, preferences, and feedback, we gain valuable insights into what mango lovers appreciate and they loathe, extending beyond our brand and mangoes to include recipes and commodity education. These insights enable us to tailor offerings to better meet the needs and expectations of mango shoppers, ultimately increasing the overall mango experience.

Collaborating with our retailers, we can together enhance the overall mango shopper experience, both in-store and beyond, ensuring satisfaction from orchard to table. The final sweet result is happier mango customers and more #MangoJoy.

Throughout July, in various cities nationwide, our dedicated #CrespoPeople (staff and volunteers) will be hitting the streets to engage in insightful discussions and fun mango-related activities (on camera and off) in exchange for MANGO REWARDS such as T-shirts, hats, dried mangoes, and fresh fruit! Keep an eye out for us in San Francisco, Brooklyn, Bolinas, McAllen, Kansas City, and Branson this season!

Valeria’s Varietals! ( Tuesdays & Thursdays)
Twice a week throughout Summer Mango Mania, our social media maven, Valeria, gives us juicy information and sweet tips that are varietal-specific, so you can make the most of the #MuchosMangoes that pass through your summer threshold. You will find her varietal-specific mango content on all social media channels! Message her on our Instagram with any varietal questions, tips, or suggestions—she’ll post your questions and the answers!

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 Varietal Wordsmithing – Yahmina’s Weekly Mango Crossword  (Saturdays)
Are you a mango lover and a cruciverbalist? If so, we can make your summer mango mania wordsmithing dreams come true every Saturday morning with Yahmina’s Mango Crossword Puzzle. Share the #MangoJoy with your friends and see who can finish first.

Each week  Yahmina will offer up a new puzzle that features Crespo Organic’s summer mango varietals.  If you need a cheat sheet, our varietal posters will help your cheating heart! Never fear ardent wordsmithers, Yahmina hasn’t made these easy, there are several bonus words in the puzzles that only true #MangoExperts will solve. Yahmina will dish out each weekly puzzle by sharing links to all our social media channels. She’ll share hints for the hard ones on IG the week before!

 Zoom Cooking Classes!
Live hands on zoom classes for those that want to learn a few mango centric recipes! We have a little of everything from the necessary thirst quenching drinks of Summer Mango Quenchers to ##ChooseYourCut A Lesson In Mango Cutting  and an Authentically Mexico Mangonada class where we even make our own homemade chamoy sauce, which of course we use dried mangoes with!

 

Featured, News

Mango Update: Embracing Imperfection

June 4, 2024

Straggling Ugly Mangoes  & The First Summer Mango Mania Displays

 As of this weekend, all packinghouses in Oaxaca and Chiapas have shut down for the season. The last batch of round mangoes was shipped out of our packinghouse, Bola de Oro, last Friday. The final shipment of Oaxacan Ataulfo mangoes had occurred about a week earlier. The transition from south to north appeared “fine,” but, as I have mentioned before, it was actually a challenging shift. These changes in regional volumes are often difficult, particularly on the organic side of things, which is my primary focus, from where I sit,  under my mango tree.

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Featured, News

{Organic} Transition North

May 10, 2024

Positive direction forward, propelled by consumers

When times are tough, as they have been for the mango industry it’s important to keep perspective, something I can be both good and bad at as stress can get the best of me, just like it does all of us. But perspective is important and there is no better place to find produce perspective than through those that have boots on the ground. My latest crop report is speckled with a lot of positivity and a reminder that even when times are tough its possible to create a chain of success throughout the entire chain….from orchard to table. I’m not denying its been hard, I’m simply acknowledging that by working together we create a thriving mango environment that moves forward, despite the setbacks!

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Four Seasons Fresh Fest for the second year in a row. This even is truly an amazing experience. I don’t often work a booth, Id always rather work a tasting and cutting demo at retail, but this even is the one that gets me off my busy butt and on a plane into the middle of Pennsylvania. I do it because it puts me in touch with the fruits of all of our labor and this year I needed that more than most.

Meeting with a multitude of small, medium and large retailers and produce managers along with the sales people that engage with these folks daily gets me to the heart of the selling side and a closer perspective of the shopper, who essentially rules all. I get the opportunity to understand various problems from different perspectives, sow seeds for solutions, and foster human connections. It’s a reminder that our interactions are about more than just transactions.

During the same eventful weekend, we had the pleasure of directly connecting with consumers at one of our Mango Tastings & Cutting Demos during the grand opening of a new Nature’s Food Markets store in New Jersey, alongside Four Seasons. This opportunity not only deepened our insights, spread more #MangoJoy more directly from farm to table, educated more mango shoppers and as one person put it, ” sold a sh*it ton of mangoes!”

Despite the persistent challenges faced this mango season, which I have continuously reported on, I made a remarkable discovery during my excursion east. Despite the difficulties, customers and consumers continue to experience significant #mangojoy, driving consistent and profitable sales of #muchosmangoes, and remaining relatively joyous and excited about mangoes despite the higher market prices we’re all grappling with.

My latest crop report is set against the backdrop of this – it’s viewed through new mango blush-colored lens. In essence, I see a lot more positivity, and I’m certain that all of us who have been toiling behind the scenes, especially Jose Angel Crespo, who bears the most stress of any of us, can appreciate this newfound perspective.

Bottom line the season is tough, and it is expected on the organic side to remain tough for several more weeks before we feel some respite when production transitions to the more voluminous production zones in the north, where our main packhouse Empaque Don Jorge- Latin Americas largest hydrothermic mango packhouse, eagerly awaits packing more fruit.

Continue Reading…

Featured, News

Mango Difficulties Continue (Crop Report)

April 17, 2024

Planning, committing, flexibility and a love of small things key to success

Currently mango markets are confusing. There is a lot less fruit on the trees in comparison to previous years.  While there is fruit available, it tends to be smaller in size. Ataulfos are more abundant (overall) compared to previous years, yet they are also smaller, and with an extraordinary, heightened demand. Despite an increase in the number of orchards in production, actual yields are proving to be inconsistent and generally lower than usual. Organic production is generally a smaller portion of large so anything lower in yield makes the gap more profound.  Conventional markets are flooded with small fruit, lacking larger options, and the pricing on the market hides some of the nuances, after all if there are no 14cnt Ataulfos, what does it matter is the price is lower? Michoacan is in full swing and mostly producing 12cnt sizing on conventional rounds.  Growers are hesitant to accept lower prices and are holding out for best offers, they are in fact seeing less fruit yields first hand. EMMEX reports show some good numbers, but they don’t really place them against the backdrop of the insatiable demand. Guatemala is producing good volumes (only conventional) but they only have 10-12cnts, adding to overall volume numbers in all reports but also adding to the generally lower conventional prices. Many current conventional contracts are viewed as loss leaders. The real question is really if the wall of mangoes everyone keeps talking about is real or merely a mirage. Either way its important (as I always say) to sperate the organic and conventional if we want organic programs to be successful. Organic programs take a lot of precision, which means we have to at some point drown out the conventional noise.

Organic and conventional mango markets present a monumental contrast akin to the David and Goliath tale. From the vantage point of the organic mango tree under which I sit, it’s the organic facts that hold the utmost significance. Despite my usual knack for navigating information flows, this season has presented unprecedented challenges, leaving me somewhat at a loss, yet persistently trying to gather accurate data.  My information  this season is often lacking, but it’s what I got.

There is good and bad news amidst the numerous mango complexities and the Crespo Organic specifics.

The good news is that we opened Empaque Don Jorge (El Originál), or EDJI for short. Situated in Rosario, Sinaloa, EDJI stands as our hometown packhouse and also holds the title of Latin America’s largest hyrdothermic mango packinghouse. With a processing capacity of up to a million pounds of mangoes per day at full throttle, it’s an impressive feat. While reaching peak packing capacity may well over a month, aligning perfectly with the larger Nayarit production, EDJI immediately broadens our packing horizons. This means we can truck in organic produce from our orchards in multiple states. It’s conveniently located within a day’s drive from the RCF Distributors’ Nogales and McAllen warehouses.  EDJI’s opening enhances our ability to balance supply and demand more seamlessly, particularly in terms of  the current sizing issues, managing product to both warehouses with agility and more reliable trucking since most the trucks are from our own fleet. The packhouse’s opening gives us instantly gives us better access to information for better decision making during these tough times. (I’ll delve into more details and strengths of EDJI in a subsequent post, but for now, I wanted to focus on the advantages of the early opening in terms of the challenges we face now.)

The unfortunate news this week revolves around our southern Chiapas packhouse, Empaque Don Jorge II (EDJII), which had to cease packing mangoes last week, approximately a month earlier than scheduled. Escalating cartel violence along the southern Mexican border prompted the USDA to withdraw their inspectors from Chiapas due to safety concerns. (It’s worth noting that every mango packhouse must have a USDA inspector present to oversee the APHIS approved method for controlling fruit fly infestations, known as the hot water treatment, crucial for exporting to the USA.) Without USDA certification, the product cannot be deemed fruit fly-free and therefore cannot be imported into the USA, leading to the immediate closure of EDJII.

A substantial quantity of organic mangoes is packed in this facility. The contingency plan involved transferring this packing operation to our other packhouses in Oaxaca and Sinaloa. However, this transition, along with reallocating conventional packing to other conventional packhouses in order to make room, has proven time-consuming and is still in progress. We anticipate reaching a more favorable position for maximum packing potential on organics by the end of next week. As one of the largest organic packers, this closure has significantly disrupted an already struggling organic system. The closure coincided with some gaps and lower yields on organics in general, further complicating the turnaround process.

General Overview (Organic Re-cap)
We and generally everyone is projecting more volume to start coming in the next 10 days but not enough to flood the markets. The fruit in Michoacan was/is delayed and has a lot less volume than last year, predominantly smaller sizing 10/12cnts (mostly 12’s). Very Little organic fruit will come from there. Chiapas, where a significant amount of our southern orchards are located, have always produced large volumes and good yields and this year their output is a great deal lower and we are not totally sure why.

Oaxaca which usually starts winding down in late April and has been very hard to predict and has had a lot of gapping until now. Currently everything indicates that the Oaxacan season will run rather well until the end of May.  The good news is this overlap of fruit between Nayarit and Oaxaca will prevent the usual late April- early may gaps and shortages from happening this year. Good for Cinco de Mayo sales.

Organic Ataulfo Outlook
Organic Ataulfos will continue to be small and innumerous until the arrival of Nayarit fruit in early May. Overall volume is lower, with a significant portion of the crops being size 20 and smaller. Despite market demands, the organic sector remains firm on size flexibility, contributing to ongoing shortages in terms of what the market wants versus what the trees produce. Pricing is anticipated to align with volumes and sizing, independent of movements in conventional markets. As for Nayarit’s upcoming season, sizing remains uncertain at this stage, volume is predicted decent with ample fruit set after blooming and plenty of good maturation happening.

Organic Round Mangoes (Tommy Atkins)
Organic round mangoes are faring better in terms of supply and demand compared to Ataulfos, primarily due to the organic sector’s preference for 8-9-10 sizing, with a decent demand for 12-count sizing as well. The southern Chiapas region, currently the main source of fruit, is yielding exactly that. While larger sizes, like 6-7 counts, are somewhat scarce, they do exist and are finding their way to select customers, including a few West Coast retailers and high-end processors. The generally smaller sizes are expected to persist for weeks to come, and Nayarit’s season is anticipated to commence in late May. Predicting sizing this early for Nayarit is challenging, but most forecasts suggest that Nayarit and Sinaloa will likely continue the trend of 8-10 sizing, which bodes well for the organic sector.

Summer Mango Mania (#MuchosMangoes)
The show must go on, and indeed it will. Summer Mango Mania is on schedule! Despite the challenges, there’s still plenty to offer, and we’re determined to transform those offerings into compelling and profitable opportunities for our distributors, retailers, and ultimately, our consumers. Summer season typically runs from June to August, with mango mania  dates spanning from June 15th to August 31st.

Our promotional materials will feature the usual array of bells and whistles, along with Crespo Organic’s signature  and popular mango-ed. This includes informative POP materials, recipe cards, consumer posters detailing how to choose, store, cut, and use mangoes, as well as varietal posters, including our Mango Queen specialty mango line, featuring our organic Mallikas, Nam Doc Mais, and Kiew Savoys dressed up in those opulent educational UPC’d tags for easy register ring up. Crespo  Organic Mango Bins will be readily available, accompanied by some flashy new secret display additives. Oh and of course the dried mangoes that everyone loves during mango mania! We are hearing words from merchandisers like Brian Dey (Merchandiser of the Year mind you) that there are BIG display plans that surpass last years!

We’re anticipating a general plentiful supply of mangoes, enabling retailers to offer attractive price points to shoppers.  We will fuel the mango frenzy  by conducting live demos and tastings and cooking classes in select areas, and ample virtual support for all, including  all kinds of events and Zoom classes on How to Cut Mangoes,  cooking classes like Summer Mango Salads and Mangoes- Bring Um to the BBQ. Consumers have grown to anticipate and love our summer mango promotion, and we’re confident it won’t disappoint. Keep an eye out for your POS order forms landing in your inbox next week, and remember, there’s always room for more to join in the summer fun. Reach out to us at info@crespoorganic.com if you’re interested! A tough season needn’t be a bad one with good partners!

 

Featured, People

David (OG) & Goliath (CV)

April 17, 2024

Who will protect organic growth amidst economic, climate and social uncertainties?

In the realm of organic produce, the ongoing struggle to safeguard organic growth often mirrors the tale of David and Goliath. This season, amidst economic, climate, and social uncertainties, the appeal of cheaper conventional products has never been stronger for importers, distributors, and retailers alike. Price remains a significant driver for consumer purchases, intensifying the pressure in my career more than ever before. Whether you share my passion for organics or view organics merely as another item on the shelf, the importance of protecting organic market share cannot be overstated.

I’ve experienced the weight of this David & Goliath struggle throughout my journey in the organic industry. However, in recent times, the intensity of this struggle feels magnified. It’s disheartening to witness substantial strides and achievements in organics being overshadowed by the allure of cheaper conventional produce. This shift undermines the integrity of our food systems, particularly concerning organic consumers who demand higher standards. The belief that conventional mangoes reign supreme in profitability is outdated and misguided. This misconception not only contradicts our trajectory but also carries greater consequences beyond profits alone. It’s evident to me that those who gamble against organics are destined to lose.

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Featured, News

A Little Crop Update

April 5, 2024

Ample tommy volume and little Ataulfo mangoes

Sometimes things move quickly despite how slow-moving they seem. I realized this morning that a quick crop report was warranted as crops shift in supply and size. I had intended to put out a more major crop report next week once I had more information that I had been collecting, but today as we solidify everything for next week, I’m realizing not everyone understands the changes – so here is a quick synopsis of the happenings in terms of organic Mexican mangoes with a Crespo-centric perspective.

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Featured, Product

The Art of the Mango Display

March 19, 2024

How to prepare for #MuchosMangoes and create optimal shopper #mangojoy

It’s difficult to envision a scenario where #MuchosMangoes are priced just right and abundantly available consistently, particularly amidst this week’s lower Ataulfo volumes. Doubt exacerbated by season-to-date difficulties from Mexico and the lingering bad taste offshore programs have left.  But #MuchosMangoes are both here and on the horizon, and it’s crucial, perhaps more than ever, that we prepare ourselves accordingly.

We should see prices begin to gently lower, closer to “normal” (what even is normal anymore) as more conventional fruit comes on the market from other regions and countries. Conventional markets have a way of pressurizing the organic side of things and this will help move us all in the direction we want and need to go- selling more mangoes – which means better price points for consumers.

On the growing side, our responsibility is to ensure that our programs operate smoothly and maintain a consistent supply of high-quality mangoes, irrespective of weather and other challenges. Meanwhile, the role of the Crespo Organic Kitchen is to ensure that marketing tools and mango education are effectively implemented, guaranteeing consistent sales and delighted mango shoppers.

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