Mango Varieties & PLU codes

ImageImage
AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE SEASONS

Throughout the year, you'll most likely find at least one mango of the six varieties described below. Each mango has a unique flavor and texture, so try different varieties at different stages of ripeness and at different times of the year. You'll be glad you did.

ATAULFO/HONEY

Ataulfos have a very small seed, so there is a high flesh to seed ratio.

Aroma: Tropical fruit and peachy notes
Flavor: Sweet and sour with tropical fruit notes
Texture: Smooth, firm flesh with no fibers
Color: Vibrant yellow
Shape: Small, flattened oblong shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Skin turns to a deep golden color and small wrinkles appear when fully ripe. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: March to July
Primary Source Country: Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil

FRANCIS

The Francis grows on small farms throughout Haiti.

Aroma: Peach and tropical fruit
Flavor: Sweet and fruity
Texture: Soft, juicy flesh with fibers
Color: Bright yellow skin with green overtones
Shape: Oblong and sigmoid S-shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Green overtones diminish, and the yellow becomes more golden as the mango ripens. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: May to June
Primary Source Country: Haiti, Ecuador

HADEN

The fruiting of the Haden mango in 1910 inspired the creation of a large-scale mango industry in South Florida. The industry has since then been greatly reduced by the impact of development and hurricanes.

Aroma: Tropical fruit with high peach notes
Flavor: Sweet and sour with a slight bitter after taste of tropical fruit
Texture: Firm flesh due to fine fibers
Color: Bright red with green and yellow overtones and small white dots
Shape: Medium to large with an oval to round shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Green areas of the mango turn to yellow as it ripens. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: March to May
Primary Source Country: Mexico, Ecuador, Peru

KEITT

Keitts are popular in Asian cultures, where they are enjoyed in its mature-green stage or even as pickles.

Aroma: High in citrus notes
Flavor: Sweet and fruity
Texture: Firm, juicy flesh with limited fibers
Color: Dark to medium green, sometimes with a pink blush over a small portion of the mango
Shape: Large oval shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Skin stays green even when ripe. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: March to April, August and September
Primary Source Countries: Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, United States

KENT

Originating from Florida in the 1940's, Kents are ideal mangos for juicing and drying.

Aroma: Peach and tropical fruit
Flavor: Sweet with hints of sour notes
Texture: Juicy, tender flesh with limited fibers
Color: Dark green and often has a dark red blush over a small portion of the mango
Shape: Large oval shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Yellow undertones or dots cover more of the mango as it ripens. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: January, February and December
Primary Source Country: Mexico, Peru, Ecuador

TOMMY ATKINS

Hailing originally from Florida, Tommy Atkins is themost widely grown commercial variety coming into the United States.

Aroma: Small hints of tropical fruit and citrus
Flavor: Tart with sweet notes
Texture: Firm flesh due to fibers throughout
Color: A dark red blush often covers much of the fruit with green and orange-yellow accents
Shape: Medium to large with oval or oblong shape
External Ripeness Indicators: This mango may not provide any visual cues. Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: March to July
Primary Source Country: Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala

MINGOLO

Mingolo mangoes are medium size mangoes with green skin that ripens to a yellow color. They are very sweet with a medium sized seed.

Aroma: Tropical fruit and peachy notes
Flavor: Tropical fruit notes
Texture: Smooth, firm flesh with little fibers
Color: Vibrant yellow
Shape:  Small, flattened oblong shape
External Ripeness Indicators: Ripeness Indicators: Skin turns to a deep golden color Squeeze gently to judge ripeness.
Peak Availability: March to July
Primary Source Country:  Dominican Republic

GROWN IN TROPICAL CLIMATES ALL OVER THE WORLD

The mangos we buy here in the U.S. come mostly from Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Guatemala and Haiti. Fortunately for us, these countries harvest their mango crops at different times of the year, which means we get to enjoy mangos all year round. The mango year has two seasons, one in the spring/summer and one in the fall/winter. The two seasons overlap to provide a year-round supply.

View a downloadable Varieties and Availability Handout.

AVAILABILITY BY COUNTRY

The mango year has two seasons, one in the spring/summer and one in the fall/winter. The two seasons overlap to provide a year-round supply. Although close to 70% of the total mango volume is shipped to the United States in the spring and summer, there is a distinct peak in both seasons.

MANGO PRODUCTION IN THE US

Mangos have been grown in the U.S. for a little more than a century, but commercial, large-scale production here is limited. Because mangos need a tropical climate to flourish, only Florida, California, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico grow mangos. Many mango varieties have been cultivated in South Florida, as part of a seedling program initiated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and spearheaded by David Fairchild, founder of USDA's Section of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction. The program focused on introducing mango varieties to the region, with the goal of producing mangos that could be exported.
Today, many of the popular varieties of mango grown around the world were derived from this program in Florida, including the Tommy Atkins, Haden, Keitt, and Kent. In fact, the Haden was a seedling of the Mulgoba, a seedling brought to Florida by the USDA from India during the late 1800s.
Fairchild Tropical Gardens, named after David Fairchild, continues to cultivate mango varieties and work with mango growers all over the world. Fairchild is known for its annual International Mango Festival, which draws thousands of mango lovers each year to its Miami-area location in a celebration of all things mango. For more information on David Fairchild, and the Fairchild Tropical Gardens, visit http://www.fairchildgarden.org.

PLU
PLU CODE DESCRIPTION SIZES VARIETIES INCLUDED
3488 Red Mango, XL 7 and larger Tommy, Haden, Kent, Palmer and any other red mangos
4959 Red Mango, Large 8 to 10 Tommy, Haden, Kent, Palmer and any other red mangos
4051 Red Mango, Small 12 and smaller Tommy, Haden, Kent, Palmer and any other red mangos
3114 Green Mango, XL 7 and larger Keitt and any other green mangos
4584 Green Mango, Large 8 to 10 Keitt and any other green mangos
4311 Green Mango, Small 12 and smaller Keitt and any other green mangos
4961 Yellow Mango, Large 16 and larger Ataulfo, Manila, Oro and any other yellow mangos
4312 Yellow Mango, Small 18 and smaller Ataulfo, Manila, Oro and any other yellow mangos
3621 Francis All sizes Francis
4313, 4314, 4315, 4316 Retailer Assigned Codes *PLU codes for organic mangos are the same as those listed above, with the addition of a leading "9"