While most of us are used to consuming clementines, few are familiar with its ancestor, the mandarin. “There is only one true mandarin. Citrus reticulata is a fruit that was imported from Southeast Asia, China, and Japan in the 19th century to Europe and the Americas. Historically speaking, the name “mandarin” is linked to the Chinese mandarins who particularly appreciated this fruit, hence its name. It is a citrus fruit that is characterized by a slightly acidic taste, a paler orange color than the clementine, with slightly softer skin, but also a lot of seeds,” says Gérard Lliso, President of Select Agrumes.
This last point, a real obstacle to consumption, led to the development of a hybrid, the famous clementine: “The clementine is a hybrid between the bitter orange called bigarade and the mandarin. It is a fruit that has few or no seeds, is sweeter than the tangerine, and has a bright orange color, more attractive and often waxed.
Orri, the Israeli variety of clementine, has been very successful. But we sense that the consumer wishes to return to products that are authentic and more natural. Even though we sell one pallet of mandarins out of 20 clementines ones, we notice that the sales of mandarins are growing year after year. The mandarin we sell comes from Sicily, from a small producer who also supplies us with citron lemons and other natural products. They are produced all around the Mediterranean, in Algeria, Spain, and even on the French Riviera, in Eze.
The mandarin and clementine season runs from October to March. Select Agrumes is currently selling its last pallets. “This year sales of clementines were a little weak. Is this due to the unpredictable weather or to the sanitary and economic context? The prices were therefore quite high, slowing down consumption. In the first years of its release, the Orri clementine sold better than it does now. Today, we feel that the consumers are turning their backs on it, possibly in favor of less processed fruits, such as the mandarin.
For more information:
Gérard Lliso
Select Agrumes
31 rue Avignon,
94 550 Rungis Complexe, France
Tel: +33 (0) 6 73 84 22 17
gerard@select-agrumes.com
www.select-agrumes.com
