Edible Arrangements® opens 1,100th location

WALLINGFORD, Conn., Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Just a year after opening its 1,000th location, fresh fruit arrangements leader Edible Arrangements has reached a new milestone with the opening of Store 1,100 in Weslaco, Texas.

"It is amazing to think how far Edible Arrangements has come from our first location," said CEO Tariq Farid who, with his brother Kamran, launched Edible Arrangements as a teenager from an East Haven, Conn., storefront in 1999. "When we opened the first store, we never dreamed that just 14 years later there would be 1,100 locations spread around the world. None of this would have been possible without the dedication of our franchise partners and our talented corporate support staff."

Military veteran Maurice Welton, one of the most successful Edible Arrangements franchise partners, opened the latest fruit bouquet franchise store in the South Texas town. It is the fourth Edible Arrangements store for Welton, who also owns franchises in McAllen, Harlingen and Brownsville and was the 2012 recipient of the President's Award, recognizing a franchisee who is considered a true evangelist for the brand on a daily basis.

Welton is introducing the Edible To Go^® concept to Weslaco. In addition to traditional fruit bouquets, Edible To Go stores offer dipped fruits, fruit salads, juices and smoothies, giving guests additional reasons to visit Edible Arrangements.

"We are very excited," Welton said. "Weslaco is a great fit for the Edible To Go concept due to high foot traffic and our great location near the revitalized historic downtown area. It makes the opening even more special to know that this represents such a milestone for the company."

For Edible Arrangements, which is opening new locations at an average rate of more than one per week, this is the 46th new store in 2013 and comes as the company is enjoying one of its most successful years in terms of sales and new product introductions, including:

• record sales for Valentine's Day and Mother's Day weekend;
• the recent opening of the first Edible To Go mall location in Louisville, Ky;
• the launch of "Hero's Welcome™," a nationwide initiative designed to help veterans become business owners and re-enter the workforce;
• major expansion of the Edible Arrangements corporate headquarters, including the purchase of a second office building.

"This has truly been an exceptional year for Edible Arrangements," Farid said. "But there is still much more to come."

About Edible Arrangements^®
With over 1,100 franchise locations open or under development worldwide, Edible Arrangements International, LLC is the leading purveyor of delicious, high quality, artistically designed, fresh fruit arrangements that are delightful and healthy gifts and centerpieces for everyday occasions and events. Brothers Tariq and Kamran Farid developed and launched the company in 1999 in East Haven, Conn., after many years in the floral industry. The company has been recognized as an industry leader since its inception, including ranking first in its category in Entrepreneur magazine's annual "Franchise 500" for the past six years and also placing in Entrepreneur's Top 40 of "Fastest Growing Franchises" and "America's Top Global Franchises." Edible Arrangements^® was named one of the Top 5 Businesses in Connecticut by Inc. magazine's first Hire Power Awards in 2012 and has also ranked on the "Inc. 5000" list of the fastest growing privately-held companies for eight consecutive years. The company was recently recognized as one of the "Top 100 Internet Retailers" by Internet Retailer magazine and was also named as one of 1851's "Top 100 Social Franchises." Guests may order arrangements by telephone at 1-877-DO-FRUIT, at one of the company's retail stores, or online at EdibleArrangements.com. EDIBLE ARRANGEMENTS^® and other trademarks noted are registered trademarks of Edible Arrangements, LLC.

SOURCE Edible Arrangements

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