What to do with the small, not fully-developed mangoes left on the tree, weighting just 50 grams, was a question that many producers had been asking themselves. They didn't reach the necessary weight for processing either, so they ended up at the homes of the producers for family consumption. However, "it is a piece of fruit that, although small, has as much sugar and flavour as a 500 gram mango, so it is delicious," comments Borja Piedra, of Huerta Tropical. From this came the idea of marketing them under the name "Mango Bombón" (mango bonbon), presenting them as a "caprice of nature".
Last year was the first in which Huerta Tropical marketed this product, managing to supply between 400 and 500 kg to its customers. "Of the five restaurants where I introduced them, four came back for more, so we are very happy with the result," comments Piedra. It is also a product that families can consume. Its small size, according to Piedra, makes it simple and comfortable to eat. "There are families that have made more than one order per week."
Given that it is a product that is only picked from the tree when it is ripe, it must be handled very carefully. The Granada-based company Huerta Tropical uses boxes with a cover and holes to allow ventilation. Inside, the box is filled with poplar shavings so that the fruit does not move and will not be damaged. "Since it takes time for the grower to carry out the harvest piece by piece and put them one at a time in the box, the process can be a little more expensive, but we think it is worth it to pay a few more cents and be sure that the product arrives in perfect condition," explains Piedra.
For more information:
Borja Piedra García
Huerta Tropical
Tel.: +34 646 25 15 15