OXNARD, Calif., March 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission Produce, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVO) (“Mission” or the “Company”), the world leader in sourcing, producing, and distributing fresh Hass avocados, today announced the launch of its year-round mango program. In true Mission form, the program will be the first ever to incorporate ripening and distribution on a global and national scale through Mission’s advanced network.
“We’re entering the mango category today as we did the avocado category almost 40 years ago in a way that has never been done before,” said Mission Founder and Chief Executive Officer Steve Barnard. “As the number one consumed fruit in the world, mangos offer a long runway of opportunity. Adding mangos to our portfolio is a natural next step as we expand our footprint worldwide.”
“We are in a prime position for market expansion. Mission currently owns 300 hectares of mangos in Peru and is on track to source additional fruit from other premier growing regions,” said Mission Vice President of North American Sales Stephen Fink. “We began our original mango program a few years ago during a seasonal window to keep our workforce employed year-round. We’ve since seen increasing demand from our customers and the impressive response to our current mango program indicates that we are ready to grow into the mango market.”
“Mangos are typically off-season from avocados, so this complementary program creates a unique synergy within our international farming business,” added Barnard.
Mission’s unparalleled access across its distribution, ripening, and transportation network will allow the Company to optimize production with the seasonality of mangos, as it has with avocados. Entering the mango category brings additional offerings to Mission’s customer base, enhancing its ability to provide great value-added service and maximize profitability.
To oversee the new category, Patrick Dueire joins Mission Produce as Director of Mangos, bringing more than 20 years of international experience of growing, shipping, and distributing the fruit in the U.S. and Europe. In his previous role, he spearheaded Dayka & Hackett’s mango business, managing tropical category imports. In 2016, he was appointed to serve as a member of the National Mango Board.
“Patrick is a strategic hire to complement our avocado expertise with significant capabilities in the mango industry,” said Fink. “As the most advanced avocado network in the world, we are well positioned to capitalize on the opportunity to bring high quality mangos to market while continuing to provide the world class service our customers have come to expect.”
For more information, or to inquire about Mission’s mango offerings, please visit www.missionproduce.com.
About Mission Produce, Inc.:
Mission Produce is the world’s most advanced avocado network. For more than 35 years, Mission Produce has been recognized as the leader in the worldwide avocado business, sourcing, producing and distributing fresh avocados, servicing retail, wholesale and foodservice customers in over 25 countries. The vertically integrated Company owns and operates four state-of-the-art avocado packing facilities in key growing locations globally including California, Mexico & Peru and has additional sourcing capabilities in Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, New Zealand, & South Africa. Mission’s global distribution network includes eleven forward distribution centers in North America, China & Europe that offer value-added services such as ripening, bagging, custom packing and logistical management. In addition, Mission owns over 11,000 acres globally, allowing for diversified sourcing and access to complementary growing seasons, while ensuring its customers receive the highest quality fruit possible. Mission is the largest global supplier of the World’s Finest Avocados, for more information please visit www.missionproduce.com.
Contact:
Denise Junqueiro
Senior Director of Marketing and Communications
Mission Produce, Inc.
press@missionproduce.com
Source: Mission Produce, Inc.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4fd17235-a511-49f7-98c0-22f71647e3f9