The season for Ivory Coast mangos takes less than two months and fluctuates considerably. Christiaan van Ravenswaaij imports mangos from the Ivory Coast, which are supplied by air and sea. This year's season is late and volumes are about half the normal size. "In combination with a virtually empty market, this means a good start to the new season, with high prices."
The mangos from Ivory Coast are of the Kent variety and, according to Chris, the best ones out there. "The quality is also top this year, but it always remains to be seen what the season will bring. When it rains in the Ivory Coast, we stop shipping immediately, because that is not good for the mangos. Up to now, however, the weather is sunny. So the harvest is also good." Van Ravenswaaij offers year-round mangos, preferably from Africa. "We have a quality controller onsite who ensures that we get the best mangos. The season normally lasts about six or seven weeks."
Van Ravenswaaij is a big player in mangos from the Ivory Coast, especially with regard to the ready-to-eat mangoes. "We have adjusted our ripening chambers, so that we can ripen mangoes ourselves," says Christiaan. Most of the mangos are sold to supermarkets in the Netherlands and abroad. He notes that the mangos are increasingly found in Dutch supermarkets. The exotic fruit is, in his opinion, getting more popular. "People increasingly appreciate quality mangos, which benefits us greatly.”
