Category: Entrepreneurship

Our company reached a huge milestone yesterday. We opened our 1,000th Edible Arrangements store yesterday, April 4, in Cranston, RI. Even though it was our 1,000th it felt like the very first franchise location that opened in Waltham, MA only twelve short years ago, and I was thrilled that the owner of the first store, Chris Dellamarggio, was there to help us celebrate.

The excitement in the community was infectious and atmosphere for the ribbon cutting electric. And this store is what I would like to call the model store as it showcases the evolution of the Edible Arrangements brand. The Cranston Edible Arrangements store, owned and operated by 2011 Franchisees of the Year Ted and Deb Kostisin, two of our most talented and respected franchisee partners, combines our world famous bouquets and our Edible To Go® fresh fruit snacks and treats product line. Ted, Deb and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to see customers and guests sampling our dipped fruit, fresh fruit smoothies, pineapple pops, fruit salads and other treats made from fresh fruit.

I never imaged that Edible Arrangements would be 1,000 stores strong and its products enjoyed throughout the world. It is truly a dream come true for my brother, Kamran, and I. However, it is the tenacity, hard-work and ingenuity of our franchisees, your neighbors, that built this brand that you have come to enjoy. They too had a dream, to be independent owners and operators of their very own businesses, and create a community based beloved brand that makes life a little sweeter for so many.

Chris, Tariq, Deb and Ted
Chris, Ted, Mayor Fung, Deb, Tariq
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Jack and Rebecca

After bringing one of our delicious, made-to-order Edible Arrangements bouquets to an event and instantly becoming the center of attention, Jack got an inkling that there might just be something special about this unique brand and its fresh fruit product line. Once he discovered that all EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS® franchise locations are locally owned and operated, he knew he wanted one of his own. And now, he and his wife Rebecca are opening their third Florida location, in Orange City.

Working for years as a computer technician, Jack now enjoys a more people-centric role, bringing joy to the public on a regular basis. In fact, he moved from New Jersey to Florida in the first place just to be a part of our franchise. He is a franchisee who truly lives by the EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS® mission –“To Wow You”:

“It comes down to that WOW factor that we always speak about. Nothing beats experiencing it. That will push you more, day after day, to perform and to give to the business. Sometimes I take deliveries myself when I’m short on drivers, and even after five or six years in this business, I still enjoy seeing those beautiful smiles when people open the door, or you walk into the office and they see the basket. This is something that keeps fueling my engine.”

Jack’s positive attitude and entrepreneurial courage have enabled him to succeed as an EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS® Fruit Expert–so much so that he was recently profiled by Fairwinds Credit Union, the banking institution he works with in Florida. And now, with the new Orange City store—added to locations in Orlando and Lake Mary—his story continues to inspire.

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Taking the Short Road to Multi-Unit Ownership

Sathya and DJ

Very often, the franchisees who are the most successful are the ones who allow their dedication and desire to lead the way, and insist on taking the greater challenge, rather than the easier path. For some, this means making the leap into multi-unit ownership in relatively short order. While slowly and steadily nurturing a single unit is the chosen approach for some, it’s not for everyone.

Take Dhananjaya “DJ” & Sathya of Alpharetta, Georgia, for example. This hard-working husband/wife team just opened their first Edible Arrangements location in nearby Suwannee less than three months ago. Yet rather than resting on their laurels, they’re immediately expanding their enterprise to a second location right in their hometown of Alpharetta.

As with their first store, DJ and Sathya intend to share the responsibilities of owning and operating their Alpharetta location, delivering happiness to as many northwestern Georgians as possible. With their kind of work ethic, I’m confident those potential customers are in very good hands.

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Orange Blossoms for a Cause

People often ask me what it’s like to be in the happiness business, and it’s a question I never get tired of answering. Edible Arrangements franchisees get the same question, and I know they have the same reaction. Each and every day, these independent business owners bring happiness to a recent graduate, the birthday girl or boy, or someone recovering from an illness, to name just a few reasons and occasions to send a loved one an Edible Arrangements product. Their beautiful hand-made-to order fruit bouquets bring joy to others, but that’s not the only way many of our great franchisees make a difference in their communities.

This March Edible Arrangements franchisees throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire are holding fundraising promotions in each of their stores to support Multiple Sclerosis research and services. This effort coincides with the National MS Society’s “MS Awareness Month.” All month long participating stores will make a $5 donation for every Orange Blossom® arrangement purchased to the Greater New England Chapter of the National MS Society. The stores chose the Orange Blossom because it’s delicious and popular with consumers, but also because orange is the official color of the National MS Society. Last fall, thanks to their generosity and their caring customers, this group ran this same promotion and raised over $5,000 for the cause.

Over the years I have found that a common characteristic of the people who are attracted to owning an Edible Arrangements franchise is a strong commitment to the communities they serve. Their stores are in the heart of busy downtowns, popular shopping districts and suburban malls where customers can easily stop in for fresh fruit products and an amazing shopping experience, and also get to know these local small business owners. Our franchisees are active members of civic organizations who pride themselves on giving back to their communities through fundraising efforts like the Boston –Manchester co-op has undertaken, or donating arrangements to charitable events or excess fruit to soup kitchens. One reason our franchisees make these contributions is because fresh fruit is such a welcome gift, but the compelling reason is that our franchisees understand what it means to be in the happiness business, and they love what they do. They just can’t help but bring joy to others with their products, service, and generosity. I am privileged to work with such compassionate and enthusiastic store owners!

To learn more about this Orange Blossom fundraising effort and the National MS Society, click here:

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Making the Multi-Unit Leap

  • Edible Arrangements
  • Edible Franchise

Jeanne

I have tremendous respect and admiration for those who take that momentous step to becoming multi-unit owners. Having been there myself, I understand the risks and rewards involved. And for some, it takes a certain amount of proven success and stability before they feel the time is right to turn that business into an enterprise. One such Fruit Expert would be Jeanne, who has patiently developed and nurtured the Orchard Park, New York Edible Arrangements location since 2006. And now, Jeanne is proud to take that step, opening her second store in Buffalo.

A former national sales director for AT&T, she received one of our beautiful arrangements as a gift on her 50th birthday, and that’s all it took to pique her interest. Jeanne liked the concept as it fit her healthy lifestyle and the trend of eating and living healthier that America’s been following.

After years of working for a large corporation, Jeanne was looking for a more intimate, personal business opportunity—something she could grow with. Many prospective owners in similar situations have expressed this sentiment, and it gives me a thrill to be able to offer exactly that to them.

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