Crisis in Fort Portal…No Mango Chutney!

Written Wednesday, June 29, 2010

Last week a crisis occurred in Fort Portal: I went to Andrew’s to buy my first jar of our beloved Mango Chutney…and they were out of stock…the manufacturers were not making any at this time…Andrew’s didn’t know when more would be available.

Noooooooooooo!!

In case you’re wondering why the freak out, let me explain the deep love and obsession that I, and my dear friend Janis, have with this Mango Chutney. The Mango Chutney by Reco Industries is like perfectly spiced heaven in a jar. It is the right colour, the right consistency, the right addition to any meal. We practically invented new food combinations in an effort to find more ways to eat. It is so special that I’m even breaking grammatical rules and making it a proper noun – Mango Chutney.

In 2009 on our second trip to Uganda, Janis became determined to bring some of its goodness back to Canada. You see, after we had returned to Canada following our first Uganda trip in 2008, unbeknownst to each other we had each independently set out trying to find a mango chutney to satisfy the Mango Chutney void in our lives. When we realized what we were each doing, we shared our findings and realized that no matter where we had shopped we had found nothing that even came close to matching that mangoy goodness. So, having returned to Uganda, Janis knew that the only way she was going to enjoy Mango Chutney bliss in Canada was to import it.

One day when studying the jar, Janis realized that the Mango Chutney is manufactured just down the road from us in Kasese. Never one to turn down the prospect of a deal, she starts wondering if she might be able to buy a case of Mango Chutney straight from the manufacturer at a bulk price. And so we find ourselves traveling in an overcrowded and frustratingly pokey public mini bus to the town of Kasese. While in Kasese we first try to find the mango gold in local stores, hoping we can either buy out their jars at a discounted price or trace them to the manufacturer. We are not successful at the first task but one shop owner calls the manufacturer who says that they have a case in stock. We just need to come pick it up.

At the security gate to the factory we have a humourous moment in which Janis starts to tell the guard, “We’ve come to inquire about the possibility of buying some mango chutney and…” Guard looks completely confused. I say, “We want to buy food” and the door swings open. It’s all in the language.

Months ago during our first visit, before we realized just how special it was, Janis was reading the ingredients and commented on how it was such a simple recipe that she could probably make it herself except the mysteriously labelled "spices" was too vague to replicate. I piped up saying, “Even if you knew all the spices, what if the secret ingredient is love? What if these people really love their mango chutney and that is what makes it so special?” Well, when we walked into that factory office and starting talking to the staff about how much we enjoyed the Mango Chutney, we discovered that they loved their food products just as much and were very proud of their Mango Chutney. The secret ingredient really was love!

We discovered that they didn’t have any boxes of Mango Chutney after all. Disappointed but not deflated we headed out. As we were leaving I asked if I could have a business card thinking that I might try to come back in the future. I imagined myself taking a tour of the factory and seeing the birthplace of the Mango Chutney. The front office salesperson went to his boss for the card and when they returned they had a surprising question for us, “Are you interested in a jerry can of Mango Chutney?”

And so we left Reco Industries with a jerry can of Mango Chutney for Janis to bring back to Canada. A truly special event indeed. Also special were Janis’ experiences getting it through customs during which she described the Mango Chutney as “sauce for Indians.” This prompted one immigration officer to ask my red-haired, fair-skinned friend, “Are you Indian?” She was tempted to reply yes since it is probably the only time in her life when someone is going to ask her that question, but she took the smart approach and said no.

So, all this to say that we really love the Mango Chutney and the fact that Reco Industries is not manufacturing any is no small crisis. It’s a BIG ONE.

Not to be discouraged by the local shortage, this week I took to the internet and emailed Reco’s head office in Kampala explaining my love for their product and my desperation (though I didn’t use that word) to get my hands on some. They did not disappoint. They emailed me the cell phone number for the floor manager. I called him and asked about whether any Mango Chutney was available, maybe in a jerry can. He asked me where I was calling from. I said, “I’m Canadian but I live in Fort Portal” He exclaimed, “I remember you! How is your friend?” I love Reco Industries. The glad news is that he said they are manufacturing more Mango Chutney this very moment and that it should be in stores in a couple of weeks. Happy news indeed!

So, I may not have any Mango Chutney at this moment, but there will be some soon. Until then I look forward to that sweet and spicy first taste which will remind me all over again just have perfect it is.

Did I mention that Janis and I took pictures during our field trip to Reco Industries?... Yes, we are that obsessed.

At Reco Industries. Yes, we did haul our own jar of Mango Chutney with us just to make sure everyone knew what we were talking about

Janis happily paying for her Mango Chutney

Janis hugging her jerry can of Mango Chutney. Janis loves her jerry can of Mango Chutney

Janis doing something (I can't remember what) with the jar of Mango Chutney

Amanda carrying the jerry can of Mango Chutney on her head in the rain

Amanda happily carrying the jerry can of Mango Chutney in the rain