ORLANDO, FL - Attendees at the National Mango Board’s (NMB) Annual Mango Industry Reception, held October 19, 2018 at the PMA Fresh Summit Convention & Expo, saw the board hand out its 2018 Mango Retailer of the Year award. The NMB named ShopRite its top retailer—awarding Perno W. Young III, Category Manager at Wakefern Food Corporation and Derrick S. Jenkins, Vice President of Produce/Floral at Wakefern Food Corporation for the banner's efforts to go above and beyond and offer strong, consistent support to the mango industry.

“Being named the 2018 Mango Retailer of the Year is not only an honor, but a testament to the hard work that everyone in our organization has given to ensure that our customers’ needs are met,” said Perno, in a press release. “The mango category has grown exponentially in sales as the communities that we serve have become more diverse.”

ShopRite was selected from over 100 retailers that partner with the NMB across the U.S. For many years, the NMB noted, ShopRite has raised the bar by aggressively promoting mangos through channels including ads, expanded displays, and social media.

“This Northeast retailer’s commitment to driving mango volume with a fully integrated retail marketing approach 12 months out of the year not only delivered exceptional results but gave us even greater confidence in our vision for mangos to move from exotic to a daily necessity in the U.S.,” stated Valda Coryat, Director of Marketing at the NMB. “This sends a clear message—mangos are an integral part of a healthy, flavor-filled diet for all seasons and all eating occasions. We look forward to our continued work with Perno and the ShopRite team, as well as all our retail partners in helping them achieve mango success.”

ShopRite has made a consistent effort to promote mangos 12 months of the year—with promotions that incorporate multiple varieties of mangos and both fresh-cut and case sales, the NMB noted. The retailer was also acknowledged for using and reinforcing mango messaging through their supermarket dietitian program; promoting mangos through demos, blogs, and ongoing nutritional information; and reaching millions of potential mango customers in their market.

All told, ShopRite’s marketing efforts reportedly result in consistently achieving one of the highest volumes of mangos per store per week in the country—roughly 700 mangos per store per week.

Congratulations to ShopRite on a truly sweet award.

National Mango Board Shoprite