There's a moment when you first arrive in Saladita where you pause. Maybe it's the way the morning light catches the mango trees stretching toward the ocean, or how the air carries that sweet, familiar scent that makes you feel like you've been here before. For Frank, a partner in Casa Mango, that moment came fifteen years ago.
Standing among the orchards that reminded him so much of his Hawaiian home, Frank saw something beyond the obvious beauty. He saw possibility wrapped in tradition, community waiting to flourish, and a way of life worth protecting. What started as a personal love affair with this coastal paradise has grown into something extraordinary: a thriving partnership between local growers and global markets that's become one of North America's largest organic mango operations.
"I came here to assist the growers and try and find an outlet for them to move their mangoes," Frank shares. "With my experience I had in the past, I was able to take what they grow here—which is a great product—and move it to people up in the United States and all over the world who want good, healthy, delicious fruits, no sugar added."
But this isn't just a success story about fruit exports. It's about creating a different kind of life, one that honors the land and the people who tend it. Frank's approach focuses on working with local growers to expand production sustainably, creating economic opportunities that don't sacrifice the natural beauty that makes Saladita special.
Living with Intention
"We can't stop development, but we can try to control and minimize the damage that development creates to nature," Frank reflects. This philosophy has guided not just the mango business, but his approach to community planning when the post-COVID boom threatened to overwhelm Saladita's natural rhythms.
At Las Huertas, a working mango farm facing development pressure, Frank saw a chance to show that growth and preservation could dance together beautifully. "We decided to build a project that could incorporate and build rules," he explains. "Where one, we can protect the water. Number two, we protect the building heights to prevent the winds. And that we have low density so that people aren't building houses to houses."
Casa Mango was born from this vision: A community that breathes with the landscape rather than against it. Frank’s efforts to champion sustainable development include collaborating with the local government, with Frank noting that "a lot of people, including the municipal, are using our rules as a model for other subdivisions—but more important, for the municipal to follow." This collaboration between private development and public policy reflects Casa Mango's core ethos: that growth and preservation can coexist when guided by thoughtful planning. It's become proof that you can build something beautiful without breaking what makes a place special.
The Secret Ingredient
But perhaps what makes Casa Mango truly special is its understanding of what Frank calls "the magic of Saladita." Ask him about it, and his eyes light up. "The magic of Saladita is the people. The mixture of people—the locals, the foreigners from all over the world. It's not just the mangoes. There's a vibe here that magnifies, and there's an energy that magnifies."
This understanding shapes everything about Casa Mango. It's not just about creating homes; it's about nurturing the connections that make life rich. This community-focused philosophy shapes every aspect of Casa Mango, from its development principles to its daily operations. "It's the people and the vibe and the openness and the inclusivity that brings it together. You can't find that in a lot of places. You find it here in Saladita."
The mango orchards have become the heartbeat of this community, representing the beautiful things that can happen when people work together with respect for the land and each other. They're not just an economic driver, but a symbol of what's possible when local knowledge meets global markets, and when development serves community rather than displacing it.
In Saladita, every mango tells a story of connection, of choices made with care, and of a way of life that feels both timeless and urgently needed. The mangoes are more than fruit – they're the foundation of a community built on collaboration, sustainability, and the belief that preserving what makes a place special is the best investment in its future.
