ORLANDO, Fla. — In an effort to spur more mainstream familiarity with mangoes in the United States, the National Mango Board has announced a series of initiatives geared toward increasing the presence of mangoes in restaurant menu items. ”Foodservice is an atmosphere where U.S. consumers try new things,” Megan McKenna, marketing specialist for the National Mango Board said in a release. “Our goal is to create new mango lovers when consumers try mango dishes at their favorite restaurants.” In January, NMB sponsored Produce First!, an event designed to inspire chefs to plan meals around produce, including mangoes. Similar events planned for later this year include the Produce Marketing Association’s Chef Demo in July, and the NMB-sponsored “Flavor Event” in August. The board is also planning to lead a one-day menu-planning seminar with representatives from a yet unannounced national restaurant chain. And it recently hosted a media event for 20 foodservice reporters and members of the International Foodservice Editorial Council.

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