The University of California, Riverside (UCR), which developed the Tango mandarin in 2006, recently reflected on the variety’s success and noted that its patent has expired.
Tango has generated more than $70 million in cumulative economic value for UCR. The virtually seedless, easy-peeling fruit has been marketed under brand names like Cuties and Halos.
Now that Tango’s plant patent has expired, U.S. growers can freely plant the variety without paying royalties. Plant variety protection for the Tango will continue internationally, meaning royalties will still flow from international growers.
In 2024, the Tango accounted for nearly 20,000 acres, or 32% of all mandarin acreage in California. In the 2024–25 season, Tango’s production value in California was about $272 million. Tango is now grown in more than 20 countries and marketed in more than 50 countries. A European trade association named it the 2026 Flavor of the Year in Spain and Portugal…