Orlando, Fla. – With 50% of all meals eaten away from home, foodservice is a prime location for consumers to try mango, some for the first time. It is only August and the National Mango Board (NMB) has seen menu success with four strong promotions and a fifth coming up in September.
The year started strong with a promotion with Tony Roma’s. The promotion ran from February to May in 40 locations featuring the Seared Citrus Mahi Mahi with Fresh Mango Salsa. The promotion included beautiful images in a menu insert, an in-store poster and a television commercial. During the same time period (March & April) BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse promoted their Thai Salmon and Fresh Mango Salsa on a menu insert in 104 locations. This has been a popular permanent menu item for BJ’s since spring 2010.
Due to strong volume and many varieties, summer is a great time to promote mango on the menu. In June, the NMB did a promotion with Guest Services, a contract foodservice company, with 30 locations, each serving over 1,000 people per day. Guest Services featured nine fresh mango menu items throughout the month of June with in-store posters. Menu items included everything from drinks to entrees. For a second time, the NMB partnered with Sodexo to promote fresh mango menu items; Grilled Mahi Mahi with Tropical Slaw and Tropical Mango Roll. These limited time offer items were presented in 1,200 locations during the month of July. Sodexo used more than 80,000 pounds of fresh mangos during this promotion.
“The public is open to trying new things when they eat out, not just mangos but how they are prepared and what they are paired with,” stated Megan McKenna, marketing manager for the NMB. “Mango flavor and texture complement so many other foods and spices, the menu options are endless.”
Last but not least, the NMB is finalizing a promotion with Whitsons for September. The promotion will feature four to six mango menu items in 206 corporate and intermediate and high school foodservice locations. As with all NMB promotions, the www.mango.org logo will be used on promotion materials.
The NMB continues to build strong relationships with foodservice organizations and looks forward to more strong promotions in the future. Visit www.mango.org/foodservice to access resources for foodservice operators and chefs, including information about handling, ripening, cutting, yield and usage ideas.
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