Orlando, Fla. – The National Mango Board’s (NMB) new Consumer Attitude and Usage Study revealed a substantial increase in the demand for mangos since the last research conducted in 2007, with increases in mango volume, number of current purchasers, incidence of people eating mangos, as well as consumer satisfaction.
These indicators point to strong results from NMB promotional efforts in consumer, retail and foodservice marketing programs. The NMB surpassed 2011 goals by reaching nearly 950 million consumers, generating a 117 percent increase in mango volume, and reached more than five million foodservice professionals through foodservice publications as well as partnerships with strong foodservice organizations to promote fresh mango.
The NMB conducted the Consumer Attitude and Usage Study in July 2011 to evaluate any changes since an initial study in 2007. The results were released and the NMB is proud to see an increase in the demand for mangos among current purchasers (people who had purchased mangos within the past six months). The percentage of current purchasers buying mangos increased from 35 percent in 2007 to 46 percent in 2011. Also, the incidence of people eating mangos increased from 67 percent in 2007 to 78 percent in 2011.
“We are thrilled to see the impact our mango key messages and marketing programs have on retail and foodservice but ultimately, consumers. We want to eliminate barriers of uncertainty about mangos and encourage consumers to enjoy the benefits of the nutritious and tasty fruit,” said Megan McKenna, NMB Director of Marketing.
Consumer satisfaction in the quality of mangos has also increased in current purchasers from 54 percent in 2007 to 70 percent in 2011. NMB’s year-round retail promotions helped shoppers gain more insight about how to choose and ripen mangos, contributing to this improved customer experience. In 2011, the NMB also helped 24,917 retail stores promote mangos and generated a 117 percent increase in mango volume, often giving consumers a chance to taste fresh mangos for the first time at one of the 10,024 demo events across the country that year.
The NMB also engages foodservice professionals by helping them add more mango to their menus and secures coverage in foodservice publications. The likelihood of consumers eating mangos at a restaurant doubled from 11 percent in 2007 to 22 percent in 2011. In a continuous effort to spread key mango messages, the NMB was able to meet their goal of reaching more than five million foodservice professionals as well as partner with five chains on foodservice promotions, featuring fresh mango and the NMB’s logo. The ultimate goal is inspiring chefs to use more mangos in their dishes, in turn introducing consumers to a new fun way to use the delicious fruit.
The NMB reached nearly 950 million consumers with information on how to choose, how to cut and how to use mangos in recipes. The knowledge has helped educate consumers and, as a result, nearly three-quarters of all 2011 respondents said they did not think mangos were difficult to slice. Just four years prior, more than half of those surveyed said they thought mangos were hard to slice.
Opportunities for expansion have also been revealed in the study results. One area of focus is the considerable portion (41 percent) of consumers who have never purchased a mango. Knowing this piece of information will help tailor future outreach programs to get mangos “top of mind” and encourage these shoppers to purchase a mango.
To learn more about the 2011 Marketing Results and Consumer Attitude and Usage Research study, please visit www.mango.org/industry.
About National Mango Board
The National Mango Board is a national promotion and research organization, which is supported by assessments from both domestic and imported mangos. The board was designed to drive awareness and consumption of fresh mangos in the U.S. One cup of mango is only 100 calories, an excellent source of vitamins A and C, a good source of fiber and an amazing source of tropical flavor.
Mango availability per capita has quadrupled since 1990 to an estimated 2.24 pounds per year in 2010. Mango import volume for 2010 was 770 million pounds. Learn more at www.mango.org.
Source: National Mango Board
