Eosta plans expansion of mango program
Eosta plans expansion of mango program
Eosta is planning to expand organic mango production in Ivory Coast after its first successful full season importing from the West African country through its regional supplier Fruiteq. The 2026 spring season followed the expansion of Fruiteq's mango production from Burkina Faso to neighboring Ivory Coast in 2024, supported by Eosta.
Fruiteq was established in 2005 and has forged a close working relationship with Eosta since 2009. The relationship goes beyond the commercial and has seen Eosta establish a living wage program for Fruiteq's seasonal mango workers.
The 2026 season marked the first full season that organic mango volumes were shipped from Fruiteq's new Ivory Coast operation through Eosta, following two trial seasons. Fruiteq specializes in Amelie, Kent and Keitt varieties, shipping two to three containers weekly during a mango season that runs from March to late May.
Although Zongo Adama, Fruiteq's founder and managing director, said the first Ivory Coast organic mango season was complicated by the presence of fruit flies, he said the tools are now in place to ramp up production for a more ambitious second full season with Eosta.
"This season has been difficult because we moved our operation to Ivory Coast and experienced some problems with fruit flies there for our organic mangos," he said. "We are expecting to do more volume next season. Our objective is to substantially increase our weekly containers and have a longer season as well. We already have more hectares and the grower base, and Eosta is going to help us grow the market, so we can grow more volume."
Eosta Product Manager Joep van Koevorden echoed Adama's comments: "We have high hopes. This is only the first full season we have imported mangos from Ivory Coast through Fruiteq. They also have conventional fruit, but we are the only receiver of Fruiteq's organic mangos, and they will be expanding next season."
