The Mexican mango season is about to begin at Aztec Fruits. "We expect to start the first shipments of Ataulfo mangoes next week. Our goal is to have the first shipment in Europe before the end of the month," says Rodolfo Meza of the export group, which has a sales office in Leuven, Belgium.
"Normally, we start two to three weeks earlier, but this season we deliberately waited. Demand was high and, as a result, prices were at a level where exporting to Europe became difficult to make profitable, especially since the first mangoes are often transported by plane, and logistics costs are high. This is why we decided to wait a few weeks until prices move closer to normal levels," he explains. The first shipments will therefore be relatively small, after which volumes are expected to increase rapidly.
The outlook for the season is positive, according to Rodolfo. "We expect good quality this year. Mangoes are developing well, and we do not foresee any problems in that respect. Moreover, the volumes we send to Europe are strictly selected, so we can guarantee quality."
Traditionally, Aztec Fruits supplies a large share of its mangoes to wholesale markets in Europe, such as those in Frankfurt and Paris, as well as smaller specialty shops. Yet Meza sees increasing interest from retail. "Last year, for the first time, we carried out trials with some major supermarket chains. Those were mainly test programmes, but they went well. In recent weeks, partners have already approached us because some large chains want to know when we will start the season again. That gives us an opportunity to increase our presence in European supermarkets this year."
Interest is growing
Aztec Fruits focuses mainly on the Ataulfo variety, a mango that is still relatively unfamiliar in Europe. "We have been working on developing the Ataulfo market in Europe for six to seven years. Kent is a common variety worldwide and is supplied by many producers, but Ataulfo gives us the opportunity to differentiate. It is a mango with a distinctive flavour and character. It takes time for consumers to become familiar with it, but we see that interest is growing." Other varieties will follow later in the season. "Right now, we are starting with Ataulfo. Kent mangoes normally begin only at the end of May and continue through June and July."
On overall volumes, Meza remains cautious. "In recent years, we have grown a little each season, and we would like to continue that trend. At the same time, it is difficult to make predictions. The geopolitical situation, transport costs, and possible inflation can all affect the market. That is why we assess how the season develops step by step."
© Aztec Fruits
Domestic retail
Meanwhile, in addition to exporting to Europe, Aztec Fruits is also working on a project in the Mexican domestic market. Since December, the company has been supplying fruit in European packaging concepts to a large supermarket chain in Mexico. "In Europe, packaging with two mangoes or four avocados is quite common, but in Mexico, fruit and vegetables are usually sold loose. At first, consumers had to get used to it, but we see that the concept is becoming better understood," says Rodolfo.
The packaging uses the same export quality that normally goes to foreign markets. "A large share of the best fruit from Mexico is exported. With this project, we want to make that quality available to Mexican consumers as well." The project is currently being expanded step by step to more shops. "It is a large operation, and there is still a lot of work to do, but the first results are positive, and we will continue to roll out the concept."
© Aztec Fruits
For more information:
Rodolfo Meza
Aztec Fruits
Interleuvenlaan 62,
3001 Heverlee, Belgium
+32 456 18 4982
[email protected]
www.aztecfruits.com
