The International Week of the Ecuadorian Mango is organized by the Mango Foundation of Ecuador, a nonprofit that focuses on promoting the country's fruit and supporting mango growers and exporters.

During the week, a myriad of scientists, industry experts, and other pillars of the agricultural realm speak about growing, nurturing, exporting, and commercializing the fruit both locally and internationally.

These experts share their knowledge in key areas such as mango physiology, phytosanitary practices, marketing strategies, and harvesting and post-harvest techniques, which are essential for the development and success of the crop.

Executive Director of the National Mango Board, Dr. Ramón Ojeda, was a panelist and dived into the many marketing tools and activities the National Mango Board implements to take the fruit from retailers and major supermarkets to the consumer's plate. 

In 2023, mangoes ranked 11th in volume per store, lower in comparison to last year's ranking, but the fruit's popularity keeps on growing. Mango sales volume grew 5.1% compared to the previous year, making up 2.1% of the overall fruit sales in the country. 

Ojeda opened by explaining that the marketing and communications program at National Mango Board primarily focuses on consumers. 

He explains that the press releases, the events, and publicity statements are all a way to "teach, educate and show the consumer all the many ways they can enjoy mangoes, their cultural value and how delicious they are."

When asked by FreshFruitPortal.com about the pillars of its marketing strategy, the Executive Director said the plan is to make sure the mango reaches the consumer in many different ways, whether that is through minor or major retailers, bodegas, restaurants, or events. 

"The most important thing is that the consumer makes an educated purchase while standing in the supermarket in front of the mangoes," he explains. "That I (the consumer) want to buy the product, understand the varieties, understand how to choose the product, and will bring it home knowing it will be a pleasant experience." 

He clarifies that publicizing the products is the final step in the supply chain, and that classic marketing focuses on pushing the product at the consumer or what they call "offerings," by activating the marketing tools and campaigns.

The organization supplies businesses with information, publicity, and free downloadable marketing tools, so that the consumer's buying experience is favorable. 

This year, the National Mango Board is emphasizing innovation. The organization relaunched its website and it's working on new campaigns and activities in order to "achieve new results." 

The new website is full of recipes, around 300, and 100 of them can be done with five ingredients or less, all including mangoes. "These have a lot of views, and they're available in both English and Spanish," Ojeda explained. 

The page launched during National Mango Day in July, with the main goal being interactiveness and functionality. 

The current pro-consumer publicity plan includes digital marketing and constant social media participation, emphasizing mangoes' health and nutritional values, visual stories that trace the origin of mangoes, alliances with college sport teams, the Mango JoyRide tour initiative, and sports marketing. 

The organization is also creating a marketing plan for both retailers and restaurants. For restaurants, the goal is to incorporate the fruit in several businesses so that the consumer is exposed to the fruit. 

The Executive Director said the team also changed its logo by focusing on phrase that would separate the word "mango" from other brands, so that consumers could identify when the fruit is being marketed. After several surveys, the company decided on "Taste the Joy." 

This is all because the company is mainly focused on its digital presence. "To directly connect with the consumer, we're working on increasing our digital footprint," Ojeda adds. "We're noticing our audience is full of young people and we have to cater to them." 

To reach the younger generation the organization is implementing several campaigns such as Mango Madness, in March, "Cinco de Mango," to honor Cinco de Mayo, in April and May, and back to school. National Mango Board is also collaborating with Disney and will reactivate their current campaigns in college sports games. 

This year, they're also focusing on increasing mango sales during Thanksgiving and the holidays, in November and December, which Ojeda says might be a challenge. 

Next year, the National Mango Board plans to launch a new strategic association with Disney to promote new movies, celebrate its 20 years, and extend its Cinco de Mango campaign. The organization will continue implementing new campaigns to further increase mango consumption in the United States.