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. 

The National Mango Board in conjunction with UC-Davis (Department of Plant Science) and University of Florida (IFAS Center for Food Distribution & Retailing) held a Mango Temperature Management and Ripening Program Webinar for Retailers and Importers. 

Click here to view the webinar.