Best Practices

Implementing best practices for handling and merchandising can pump up your mango sales.

Mango Handling at the Warehouse

• Move fruit directly to cold storage of 54-60° F at receiving
• NEVER store whole mangos below 50° F
• Maintain relative humidity at 90-95%
• Scrub ethylene from cold room or do one fresh air exchange each day
• Minimize exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures during loading and unloading
• Outgoing trucks should be pre-cooled, but not below 50° F

Mango Handling at Retail

• Store whole mangos at 54-60° F, NEVER below 50° F
• If stored at room temperature, order mangos more frequently
• Display whole mangos at room temperature, NEVER in refrigeration
• Inspect displays regularly and remove shriveled or injured fruit immediately

Mango Merchandising

• Educate customers about selection, ripening and cutting by using point of sale materialsfrom the NMB
• Group mangos by variety, size and ripeness level
• Keep displays well stocked, but to avoid bruising, do not stack too high
• Never stack heavier fruit such as pineapple, papaya or coconuts above mangos
• Mangos provide 40% of tropical fruit category sales, so maintain high-traffic shelf space year-round where your customers can ALWAYS find mangos
• Build secondary mango displays in the produce department or front of store, especially when mango volumes are highest and when mangos are on promotion
• Build sales by carrying multiple varieties and sizes of mangos

Order the Backroom Poster from the NMB to help train store-level associates, and check out the Video Training Showcase for videos that will bring them up to speed in a hurry. The Mango Postharvest Best Management Practices Manual is another great source of information about mango handling from the farm to the your customer’s shopping cart.