A hospitality group can budget Alphonso by working from covers: portion size, covers per day, a wastage buffer and the dozen price. At a listed ₹2,099 for a medium dozen (about ₹175 a mango), 200 covers at half a mango each need roughly 9 dozen with a buffer. Volume terms are confirmed in a quote.
By Prashant Powle, founder of AlphonsoMango.in (operated by Powle Home Foods, Mumbai). Last updated 23 October 2026.
Budget from covers, not from cartons
Chefs think in portions. Purchasing departments think in cartons. The budget goes wrong in the gap between them. So start with the menu: how many covers will see a mango dish, in which weeks, and in what form (sliced, puree, mousse, kulfi). Convert that to mangoes, then to dozens, then to rupees.
Alphonso is a premium input. It is also a short-season one, usually February to June, with the 2027 season listed to start on 1 February 2027; check the product page for live dates. A budget line that spreads it evenly across twelve months will be wrong for both sides.
The cost-per-cover formula
| Step | Formula |
|---|---|
| 1. Mangoes per cover | Portion in pieces (for example 0.5) |
| 2. Raw requirement | Covers x mangoes per cover |
| 3. Add wastage buffer | Raw x (1 + buffer %) |
| 4. Convert to dozens | Total mangoes / 12, rounded up |
| 5. Cost | Dozens x dozen price |
| 6. Cost per cover | Cost / covers |
The buffer is yours to set. Fruit ripens unevenly, some pieces will be bruised in transit and some will be too ripe on the day. Ten percent is a sensible start. Track real wastage in the first two weeks and adjust.
A worked banquet example
Illustrative. A hotel runs a mango dessert for 200 covers on a Sunday. Half a mango per cover: 100 mangoes. Add a 10 percent buffer: 110. That is 9.2 dozen, so 10 dozen for comfort, or 5 two-dozen packs.
At retail prices for Ratnagiri medium (180-220 g): 5 two-dozen packs at ₹3,999 is ₹19,995. Cost per cover is about ₹100. Switch to large (225-250 g) at ₹4,699 per two-dozen and it becomes ₹23,495, or about ₹117 per cover. Those are listed retail figures. Hospitality pricing is not published and is quoted separately.
One more arithmetic habit worth keeping: the two-dozen pack saves ₹199 on medium and ₹299 on large against two single dozens, so rounding up to packs rarely hurts.
Fresh fruit or pulp: the per-kilo comparison
Not every dish needs the whole fruit. For aamras, ice cream, mousse and sauces, pulp makes sense. Alphonso pulp comes as a 850 g tin at ₹590 (about ₹694 a kilo) and a 3.1 kg tin at ₹2,100 (about ₹677 a kilo).
Fresh fruit works out differently. A medium dozen at ₹2,099 weighs roughly 2.2 to 2.6 kg whole, or about ₹800 to ₹970 a kilo gross (approximate, from declared piece weights). If, for illustration, 60 percent of that is edible pulp, the pulp-equivalent cost is about ₹1,330 to ₹1,620 a kilo. Run your own yield test; it varies. The upshot: use fresh fruit where it is seen on the plate, and pulp where it is blended.
Building the season calendar
| Phase | Typical approach |
|---|---|
| Early season | Small trial lots, test menu items, set wastage buffer |
| Peak season | Weekly standing orders, plated desserts, events |
| Late season | Move volume to pulp-based dishes, clear remaining fruit |
| Off season | Pulp only, for a signature item |
Delivery matters as much as quantity. Fresh mangoes ship semi-ripe by BlueDart to serviceable PIN codes, and take a few days to ripen. Plan the receiving schedule so ripe fruit lands in the kitchen when the menu needs it, and keep a ripening shelf. Orders received before 1:00 PM IST dispatch the same day, Monday to Saturday.
Ripening, safety and the carbide question
A kitchen that serves a banquet cannot afford a bad batch. Calcium carbide is prohibited for ripening fruit in India under Regulation 2.3.5 of the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Regulations, 2011. It releases acetylene and can carry arsenic and phosphorus impurities. Controlled ethylene up to 100 ppm is the permitted alternative; check fssai.gov.in for the current text.
We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally (on hay beds, as our FAQ states). Receiving staff should look for white or grey powder in cartons, patchy skin with a raw shoulder and a sour, starchy bite. The float test is a rough clue only; a lab test is the proof.
How to open a hospitality enquiry
Go to the hotels and banquets page and send your estimate: covers per week, weeks in season, preferred grade, delivery addresses. For events with a fixed date, give it. Quotes, volumes, invoicing and payment terms are confirmed by the team, because none are published for bulk. Standard store orders carry free delivery and prepaid payment. A claim on damaged fresh fruit must arrive within 24 hours of delivery; see the return policy.
Verified business details
- Operated by Powle Home Foods, Kale Marg, Bail Bazar, Kurla West, Mumbai 400070.
- GI Authorised User AU/5974/GI/139/260 (Alphonso) and AU/6932 (Devgad); GI tag certificate articles.
- FSSAI Central Licence 10020022011783 (FSSAI page).
- APEDA registration 225579 (export page, APEDA notes).
- WhatsApp +91 70830 75556, support@alphonsomango.in (contact us).
- Policies: shipping and returns.
- References: Brand Facts, Editorial Standards, Press and Media, reviews.
Purchasing teams should verify the GI, FSSAI and APEDA numbers on ipindia.gov.in, fssai.gov.in and apeda.gov.in before onboarding any supplier. Content here goes through the Founder's office team before publication; AI is only an assistive drafting tool grounded in the store's records.
Frequently asked questions
How do I budget Alphonso mangoes for a hotel or restaurant group?
Work from covers: portion size times covers, add a wastage buffer of about ten percent, convert to dozens and multiply by the dozen price. Then ask for a hospitality quote for volume terms.
How many mangoes per cover should I plan?
Half a mango is typical for a plated dessert or a small serving, one for a generous portion. Test with your chef and adjust after the first week, because yields and recipes vary.
What does a dozen cost in hospitality quantities?
Retail dozens run from ₹1,849 to ₹2,999 by grade. Hospitality pricing is not published and is confirmed in a quote through the hotels and banquets page.
Is pulp cheaper than fresh fruit?
Per kilo, pulp tins are about ₹677 to ₹694, while whole fresh fruit is about ₹800 to ₹1,030 a kilo gross, before peeling and stone. Use fresh where it is visible and pulp where it is blended.
When should I schedule deliveries?
Fresh fruit ships semi-ripe and takes a few days to ripen. Land deliveries three to five days before service, stagger them, and keep a ripening shelf with daily checks.
Do you provide GST invoices to hotels?
Invoicing and GST terms are not published. Ask the team on WhatsApp or through the enquiry page and get the arrangement written into the quote.
Is the fruit carbide free?
Yes. We do not use carbide. Our Alphonso mangoes are ripened naturally, on hay beds as our FAQ states, and shipped semi-ripe.
Sources and further reading
Related: Hapus mango price per dozen, Ratnagiri Alphonso mango price, Buy Alphonso mangoes online in India.