Mango

The mango - consumers’ all time favorite juicy fruit

The humble mango is trendier than ever before. Consumers love to enjoy it as a fruit snack, a burst of sweetness in ice creams, yogurts and sorbets or as a refreshing and eye-catching salad ingredient, often in combination with avocado. 

Why it’s hot

The mango has been around for 6.000 years and was known as „the fruit of kings“  in ancient India. So why is it still hot right now? Mintel’s Global Food and Drink Trends 2017 claims that consumers like the trustworthiness of well-known products in combination with new and innovative flavors. „This reaching for the past will also lead to innovations that use the familiar as a basis for something that’s new but recognizable at the same time“, adds the author of the report. The latest data by Mintel also shows the mango to be among the top 6 favorite fruits in spoonable and drinkable yogurt.

More about Mango

We are of course interested in where our current fruit of the month, the mango, comes from and how it is grown: a mango tree can reach a height of up to 40 meters. The fruit bulbs hang off the branches at the end of long stems and need around 3-6 months to mature and ripen. Mangoes can weigh up to 2 kilograms each and come in green, yellow, red but also multi-colored hues. Their natural home are the tropical rain forests of this world. Mangoes can differ greatly in size - they can be small and heart-shaped but the more popular types are large and oval. Ripe mangoes emit a very intense fragrance. Fruit quality is key for end product quality and AGRANA Fruit employs an international team of experts to make sure only the best produce is sourced.

The mango is sometimes categorized as a citrus fruit. This is incorrect. It is a stone fruit, has a pit and also belongs to the oil-bearing plant category - mango seeds can be turned into oil or butter, used as food but also as a cosmetic ingredient. And there are more than 1000 mango varieties: less well known are the „Kent“, the „Keitt" and the „Nam Dok Mai“. The „Haden“ variety is the most popular one in Europe.

Did you know? According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the heaviest mango weighed 3.435 kg and was grown in the Philippines. In 1995, the Philippines also achieved the world record for the sweetest mango. (Source: http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/heaviest-mango)

Top 4 nutritional benefits

Mangoes don't just taste good, they also do you good:  

1. A handful of mangoes already covers 25% of our daily vitamin A requirements. Vitamin A supports good vision and is also essential in keeping our bodies resistant to infection.
2. The mango's alkaline properties can help regulate our bodies' acid-base balance.
3. The fibers contained in the mango aid our digestion.
4. Mangoes have a high vitamin C content and can help strengthen our immune system.