IT WAS "gold, gold, gold" for Carlo Lorenti from Clayfield Markets Fresh, who outbid all rivals for this season's symbolic first tray of the golden fruit at the 2014 Brisbane Markets Mango Auction.
The Mango King won his crown on Thursday, October 9, with a generous bid of $30,000, the funds donated to Diabetes Queensland and Life Education Queensland.
It’s not the first time Mr Lorenti has taken the crown, having outbid his rivals in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 and sharing the crown in 2013. His wife Susan Lorenti was the first Mango Queen in 2009.
Onstage for the crowning ceremony, Mr Lorenti said that he had great incentive to dig deep, as his manager’s son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last year and he was aware of the struggle that the diagnosis presented the family.
"The Brisbane Markets is a great community that always digs deep and hopefully we'll do it again next year for these two wonderful charities," Mr Lorenti said.
This year's Mango Auction also saw the launch of a fundraising initiative by 36 local greengrocers to ask shoppers to donate a gold coin and receive a Ben's Friends Get Cheeky collector card, endorsed by rugby league player Ben Hannant, Brisbane Produce Market's Healthy Eating Ambassador.
Ben was joined at the auction by Brisbane Broncos Jack Reed, Matt Gillet and Sam Thaiday who got to work raising funds by selling raffle tickets around the markets.
Australia Mango Industry Association CEO Robert Gray was the morning's first speaker.
“Our aim this season is to consistently provide consumers with a great mango eating experience, every mango, every time,” Mr Gray said.
“The mango season is a marathon not a sprint, and we've just started. The peak of the season is so close you can taste it.”
Diabetes Queensland CEO Michelle Trute had good news for diabetics.
“Mango is one of those fruits that people with diabetes can chomp on happily because they have a low glycaemic index and don't affect your blood glucose like some other fruits.”
Life Education Queensland CEO Michael Fawsitt observed that the auction was about more than the fruit.
“Yes, the Mango Auction is about mangoes, but ultimately it's about children. The Mango Auction is an investment in the future health and well-being of young Australians,” he said.
The auction is held annually in the heart of the Brisbane Produce Market Central Trading Area. Other auction items helped the Brisbane Markets community to raise $48,000 at the event.
The tray of Kensington Pride mangoes from this year’s auction was donated by Pine Creek Mango Plantation.