Irwin Mango

Among the diverse varieties of mangoes, the Irwin Mango has become one of the most popular in recent years. This new mango variety from Florida boasts a sweet, juicy, and aromatic flesh, with a distinctive orange-yellow skin. Today, Rimping Supermarket invites you to discover the Irwin mango, a hybrid variety from Florida.

Accidental Origin in Florida (1939 - 1949 AD)

The Irwin mango originated by chance in Florida, USA, in 1939 AD. The story goes that a Lippens mango tree growing in Mr. FD Irwin's garden was accidentally cross-pollinated by a Haden mango tree.

Six years later, this mango tree bore fruit with a unique appearance, unlike any other mango trees in the garden. Mr. Irwin was very surprised and sent his mango for evaluation in 1945 AD. This evaluation led to the discovery of a new mango variety, which was finally officially named Irwin after the owner of the garden in 1949 AD.

Commercial Acceptance and Key Characteristics

Subsequently, Mr. Irwin began cultivating Irwin mangoes and selling them to farmers in Florida for planting and further propagation. Eventually, this mango variety gained commercial acceptance due to its good yield, disease resistance, slightly elongated shape, and unique color. Unripe fruits are green, turning deep red or orange-yellow when ripe. It is typically consumed when ripe, featuring golden-yellow, fiber-free flesh with a sweet, juicy taste, measuring 12-18 Brix (Brix is a unit for measuring sugar content in fruit).

From Florida to the Global Market: Miyazaki Mango in Japan (Late 20th Century - Present)

Over time, in the late 20th century, the Irwin mango was introduced to various countries such as Australia, South Africa, Taiwan, China, and Japan. In Japan, Irwin mangoes are cultivated under highly controlled conditions, resulting in beautifully colored, high-quality, and very expensive mangoes (said to be the most expensive mangoes in the world). In Japan, they are called Miyazaki or Taiyo no tamago (太陽のタマゴ), meaning Egg of the Sun.

Currently, the Irwin mango is commercially cultivated in many countries, including the USA, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, and Guatemala. In Asia, it's grown in Taiwan, Japan, and Australia, with Taiwan and Australia now being the main exporters of Irwin mangoes for the Asian market.

During the production season, Taiwanese mangoes begin to ripen around May and finish in August, while Australian mangoes start from September until early next year. Irwin mangoes in Japan are only sold domestically due to insufficient quantities for international sales.