Project manager - Supply chain engagement (MG15501)

This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

The aim of Project MG15501 was to develop and organise a range of events to increase the demand and consumption of fresh Australian mangoes through the 2015-16 season. This was achieved through having a dedicated and experienced Project Manager that focused upon coordinating all members of the mango supply chain in order to maximise project impacts and minimise any risks.

It was important to maximise the engagement and support of the major grocery retailers and independents, and leverage their ability to access large numbers of consumers in a cost effective manner, and the Project Manager was the key point of contact within the Australian Mango Industry Association (AMIA) for all activities. In addition, the Project Manager was the conduit between other Hort Innovation projects that had interdependencies relevant to the planned activities in this project. These projects included Crop Forecasting (MG13017), Quality Standards (MG15002) and Marketing Activities (MG15502). The Crop Forecasting project (MG13017) provided invaluable information regarding volumes from each region, whilst the Quality Standards project (MG15002) had helped raise the bar for fruit quality across the whole industry.

A wide range of events were held during the season and the key outputs of the project were:

• Grower market tours and roadshows;
• Retailer head office launches and pre-season events;
• Point of purchase displays, and
• Retailer training and guidance tools.

The 2015-16 mango season was the second largest the industry had experienced in terms of volume and the largest in terms of value. The key outcomes were:

• The successful marketing of an estimated 8.4 million trays of fruit, equating to 59million kilos (estimate based on grower mango levy income to 30th April 2016);
• According to Homescan analysis conducted by Nielsen, the mango industry had achieved significant performance improvements at retail over the past two years including 20.3 per cent volume growth; 16.6 per cent price growth and 40.2 per cent value growth; and
• Profitable returns to growers.

The Project Manager, Mango Supply Chain Engagement, proved critical in aligning the interests and needs of all parts of the supply chain, and most importantly the growers and retailers. The recommendation from the success that had been achieved through this project was for a similar project to be conducted next year, utilising the same people that were involved in the 2015-16 season and building upon the activities that were conducted. This would be the most effective means for increasing the demand and consumption of mangoes, and maximising the opportunity for profitable returns to growers.