At the beginning of 2026, Sun World International launched its global mango program. In April, the company showcased a key point of differentiation of its portfolio in the category: extended seasonality led by its extremely late-maturing Blyde Late mango variety. Out of South Africa, Blyde Late remains in market into May, while traditional varieties begin to taper off. This milestone follows a series of international field days and a capstone Mango Symposium during Fruit Logistica 2026 in Berlin.
From early-season varieties like Kankun, Lady Jane, and Sumango2 to the Blyde Late, the first year was designed to showcase the portfolio across global markets while establishing partnerships around long-term opportunities.
"Blyde Late is an example of what this program is built to do," said Bernardo Calvo, president and CEO of Sun World International. "It allows our partners to stay in the market longer, even when others are already out."
© Sun World LLC
The company hosted three field days attended by South African growers, as well as international marketers and distributors. These events gave partners access to commercial mango offerings and the opportunity to engage with the company's technical, commercial, and quality teams. The Berlin Mango Symposium provided a platform to share insights into the company's breeding focus, commercialization model, and vision to deliver a premium, year-round mango supply. Four new varieties with an exceptional eating experience were showcased.
The mango program is designed to address market opportunities in the category, where legacy varieties continue to dominate global supply despite inconsistent eating quality and high retail shrinkage. The company's breeding strategy prioritizes flavor, appearance, shelf life, and long seasonality paired with high productivity.
Blyde Late exemplifies that approach as an extremely late-maturing variety with strong yield potential, excellent fruit size, and high sugar content.
"With Blyde Late, we're helping our partners capture value in a part of the season that historically has been underserved," said Gerardo Lugo, chief commercial officer at Sun World. "That's where real commercial advantage starts to take shape."
The program also included the announcement of the company's collaboration with Mission Produce, strengthening its ability to scale its mango portfolio through an established global sourcing and distribution platform. The collaboration showcases the company's long-term commitment to transforming the mango category through genetics, licensing, and market-led innovation.
"We're building a program that connects breeding, commercialization, and global partnerships in a way that hasn't been done before in mangoes," said Calvo. "We're doing it with a clear focus — delivering better fruit, more consistently, across the entire season."
The company's mango pipeline includes multiple commercial varieties, advanced selections in global trials, and a growing footprint across key production regions.
For more information:
Sun World
Tel: +1 (661) 631-4100
https://www.sun-world.com/
