Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Nayarit line up for consistency in supply
By nature, transitions can be tricky. Shifting from the southern regions to the northern regions is typically unpredictable and complex. This year, it is proving to be exactly that.
The southern regions have produced a good amount of fruit, mostly on the smaller side and mostly because people like us (Crespo) have strategically increased our orchards there, in order to gain greater volume earlier, capture a bigger percentage of market share immediately, and jumpstart consumer demand sooner. There have been complexities as usual but we maneuver through them fairly well, mostly because of the direct-trade relationships we have with our customers, and the communication and exchange of information on the challenges and opportunities in advance allowing us to together, strategize, knowing each customer and region has different needs.
The Crespo Organic mango program is currently situated in a good place as we transition to the northern regions (aka the volume super-producers). Nayarit and Sinaloa have a greater production, with more advanced farming operations and generally higher yields with more varietals. Their costs/selling prices tend to be lower and, thus, much lower, more incredible consumer price points are doable. Our southern region will continue to sustain the transition so fill rates stay intact and the focus can be on upping demand, while supply builds.
The Nayarit and Sinaloa peak production from June to August happens to coincide with the American summer – long, hot days that make mango-eating almost mandatory for consumers, especially as more experience what we call #MANGOJOY. Mango consumption is on the rise, and the northern regions bustling volumes deliver mangoes at the perfect timing, even if or when they are early or late! This two to three month window is fairly predictable, with the little details making for minor adjustments.
Last year the transition happened during the global shutdown and COVID-19, bringing extra confusion and uncertainty. This year the main issue is the draught that has been fairly consistent throughout the entire mango season from Ecuador and Peru, all the way up Pacific coast to Oaxaca, Chiapas, Michoacán, Jalisco, Nayarit, Sinaloa… and will be seen ( is seen) all the way up into the California mango crop.
This season, like the last few, Crespo Organic has more overall volume. Over the last several years, we have been expanding our orchard volumes in each growing region to keep up with our own increased demand, gaining market share on both the CV (RCF brand) and the OG side.
We will pack more fruit this season than prior seasons, but there has been and will continue to be an overall decrease in yields for Mexican production because of the drought. Fruit will be smaller, but we experienced that last season, too, so we are ready.
The transition for the Crespo program should be relatively smooth. We’re beginning to wind down in Oaxaca and still have some time in Chiapas. Our early orchards in Nayarit and Sinaloa are timed perfectly (this year) so we should have no gaps. Volumes are predicted to be ample which means we can keep pricing consistent and focus on increased demands to feed our peak volumes (which are June – July, as usual)! Our focus continues this be – how to move the big volume we always have coming. This is what we call mango mania times!
Crespo Organic Summer Mango Mania #MuchosMangoes is the collision point between our peak production in Nayarit & Sinaloa and the height of consumer demand, summer! The mangoes are priced during this time in order to move volumes. Our goal is to feed many consumers mangoes at delicious price points.
The peak, or collision point, when technically a few of the larger growing regions and sub-regions overlap with production: Jalisco, Michoacán, El Rosario and Escuinapa (Sinaloa) should begin around the first or second week of June, which is why many in the industry (on the CV side) are saying by mid-June there will be a lot of mangoes. This is true, and it is also true that a lot of them will be small, thanks to the seasons draught.
Here are the details per region to give you a better micro look at the transition details:
Oaxaca is winding down as we speak. Most production there has finished, and there are only a few shipping from here now. Currently we are harvesting organic Kents in Oaxaca, which has been happening at the end of the region’s season for a few years now. It looks like we have another 10-12 days shipping from the area. Ataulfos have finished here.
Chiapas has many little microclimates where our production is located, which have consistently extended the region’s season on both Ataulfo mangoes and round mangoes. We should be picking and packing through the transition north from Chiapas, ensuring plenty of volumes and sizes, as the sizes are a little bigger in the south since it’s the end of the season. Quality continues to be exceptional, and the flavor from Chiapas mangoes is unbelievably sweet and rich this year.
Michoacán Is currently shipping and will ship until around the first or second week of June. Michoacán typically has a lot of small fruit and this season, like last, that is very true. They have all varietals in this region and is one of the only regions left where there is a lot of organic Haden mangoes (my personal favorite). Haden mangoes tend to be very small, one of the reasons most growers have switched out of this varietal. It used to be that buyers wanted small organic fruit, but these days, as price points on organics drop and as consumers are willing to pay more for bigger fruit – demand is high on the large sizes.
Nayarit Has started and we have begun picking and packing Ataulfo mangoes from here. We are seeing excellent quality right off the bat. Nayarit Ataulfos are typically very “clean-skinned” so buyers should be happy as most of the discoloration improves as the Ataulfo drop moves north. The market should reap the benefit as well, as Ataulfo demand jumps up generally this time of year. The Tommy Atkins mangoes should start shipping form this region around May 20 -25th . The Nayarit region produces the Kent and Keitt varietals, as well.
Sinaloa Is on target. The Ataulfo mangoes should begin around the end of May and the round mangoes around the second week of June. We grow and ship 9 different varietals from this region and promote them throughout the Summer Mango Mania campaign: Ataulfo, Tommy Atkins, Kent, Haden, Keitt, Green Mangoes, Baby Mangoes, Manila and Thai Mangoes.
Of course, all things change. That is certain, so we will continue to put out crop updates and industry reports as we get closer to this regions start date.
The basic report is really this:
For now, we do expect to continue with ample volumes of fruit, all sizes, with a lot of smaller fruit and our goal is to promote and sell #MuchosMangoes.
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