Ripe mango program raised purchase frequency, study shows

A report from Mission Produce highlights the impact of its ripe mango program on household penetration and purchase frequency for a national retailer.

"The AvoIntel Report: Analysis of the Impact of a Ripe Mango Program on a National Retailer’s Household Penetration and Purchase Frequency" analyzed data from six months of the retailer’s participation in the program, tracking household penetration and purchase frequency compared to its nonripe divisions, according to a news release.

The ripe mango program involved Mission Produce ripening mangoes before delivering them to a single division of the retailer, referred to as the "ripe division." Data compiled from Numerator Insights compared the ripe division to the rest of the retailer’s divisions, which were not enrolled in the program.

From July to December 2023, the ripe division outperformed nonripe divisions in both household penetration and purchase frequency; the ripe division experienced a household penetration rate of 8.1%, while nonripe divisions saw a rate of 6.9%, according to the report.

The ripe division also saw an increase in purchase frequency, rising from 1.6 to two trips per household during the six months of the program, while nonripe divisions reported a slight decrease in purchase frequency, dropping from 1.7 to 1.6 trips per household.

The results suggest that the ripe mango program may have helped mitigate the impact of market conditions, allowing the ripe division to maintain stronger consumer engagement compared to its counterparts, according to the report. Mission Produce’s report concludes that the program was associated with better performance in both metrics, reinforcing the potential benefits of offering pre-ripened mangoes at retail.

“Many retailers have yet to tap into the full potential of a mango ripening program, missing a significant opportunity to not only increase customer satisfaction but to drive mango sales," the company said in the release. "That’s why, for our September edition of AvoIntel, we’re excited to share a case study that demonstrates the transformative impact a Mission Produce custom ripe program can have on mango category performance."

Related link: More details from Mission Produce’s AvoIntel Report