They’re always so happy to receive Edible Arrangements as a gift,” says Freda Joseph of the Lake Worth, FL franchise. “It’s a lot of work but it’s really rewarding when you take deliveries and get to see the peoples’ faces. The Edibles delivery of the basic fresh fruit assortment relieved those worries for the granddaughter and delighted and fed the grandmother. The granddaughter could only imagine her grandmother sitting alone, so she turned to the Internet and placed an order. One example was about concern for a grandmother who lived on her own and was unable to leave her city apartment to go to the market for food as was her daily routine. During the early days of the pandemic, there were posts from gift-givers applauding the option of the basic fruit box as a deliverable gift. Social media played an important role in the marketing mix. Strategically marketing the produce boxes, the company captured many first-time customers early in this pandemic year. “At that point, we saw the a-ha moment and knew more customers would appreciate the whole fruit boxes as essential product.” WINNING FORMULAĮspecially after a year when families have been unable to gather and celebrate happy occasions or travel to mourn the many losses, Edible Brands carved a niche by offering suitable products for an array of budgets and occasions. He reveals the company saw customers ordering one box for themselves and sending four or five to others. We were able to wow people and keep our business focus,” says Mboup. “Whole fruit boxes helped the brand with keeping the emotional factor. The whole fruit box was launched March 13. They’re transporting fruit and flower deliveries prepared by local franchisees to delighted recipients in your communities.Īfter working for six years in many roles handling an impressive swath of responsibilities at the privately-held company, Cheikh Mboup was named president and chief operating officer of Edible Brands in January 2020. But another perspective is to see the 21-year-old, Atlanta-based company as an ambassador of produce and floral, working one delivery at a time to boost the consumption and enjoyment of fruit, vegetables and flowers.Įven if you’ve never received a gift of chocolate dipped pineapple pieces or strawberries drizzled and dazzled or a fruit bouquet featuring grapes on picks accompanied by delicious wedges of wave-cut cantaloupe and honeydew melon, maybe you’ve seen the well-emblazoned vans zipping around town. Supermarket, mass market and club stores could possibly view Edible Arrangements as a quick-service shop taking away produce and floral sales. Embracing the challenges of the pandemic with new product launches and amped-up customer service, this company expanded its winning formula by nurturing the emotional connection food and flowers offer. Originally printed in the November 2020 issue of Produce Business. 2021 Marketing Excellence Award Winners.Research Perspective/Comments and Analysis.