How Edible® Is Bringing a Community-Driven Culture To Franchising

At Edible, an innovative e-commerce hub uniquely supported by locally owned brick-and-mortar locations across the globe, community is more than just a buzzword — it’s the cornerstone of the brand’s approach to franchising.

Last year, Edible announced its forthcoming NextGen store concept, blending the best of digital and physical retail into a new-and-improved store layout. These modernized stores are designed to offer a more personalized, consumer-centric shopping experience.

“When we talk about community-driven, we are really talking about that local customer base,” said Chief Development Officer, Mark Mele. “The brick-and-mortar retail component, combined with the e-commerce business model, allows us to establish a direct connection with the local customer base. You can develop relationships and foster loyalty, engaging with customers on a more personal level.”

This connection is enhanced through Edible’s in-store experience, which allows customers to physically interact with the products in a way that many e-commerce competitors can’t offer.

“The retail component creates good brand awareness, driving guests to the store where they can get immediate access to products. They can have physical inspection, and that allows us to engage with people on a more personal level,” Mele said. “We want to drive people to the brick-and-mortar location instead of just delivering a fruit basket — ‘Come in and try it for yourself.’ It's really about that creative in-store experience — visual merchandising and boosting visibility from our other online competitors.”

Modern Edible locations also offer a diverse array of products, including everything from flowers to smoothies to beloved bakeshop items like cookies, brownies and cupcakes. This strategic move provides a unique opportunity for franchisees to cultivate deeper relationships with their local communities through a variety of product offerings perfect for every celebratory occasion and any treat-yourself moment.

“We know this in-store experience in this cafe-type setting with NextGen lends itself to that,” Mele said. “You can experience that celebration, have some treats, have a smoothie and relax. It’s all about engagement.”

Franchisees are encouraged to embrace local store marketing, working with nearby businesses and organizations to strengthen their community ties. “Every franchisee across all the stores is encouraged to do more business-to-business local store marketing,” said Mele. “We are engaging with real estate companies, local businesses, schools, team events, chambers of commerce, etc.”

Edible further incentivizes this engagement by rewarding high-performing stores through financial rebates. “When high-performing stores that carry a high score on our internal scorecard are rewarded for being good citizens of the system, there is financial incentive for them to do well and do more in-store sales,” Mele said.

So, who is the ideal franchisee Edible is looking for to further nurture this community-driven culture?

“The franchise owner has to be engaged in the business — we want you to be engaged,” Mele said. “You don’t have to be in the production area every day, but if you are engaging in the front of the house and overseeing the business and being responsible for the LSM [local store marketing], that is really who we are looking for.”

Travis Thomas, an Edible franchisee in Michigan, is a prime example.

“I loved that this was a celebration-based business — there is always something someone wants to buy for someone else, whether it is just an ordinary day or a holiday,” Thomas said. “I also like that we are selling happiness in a way. Most of the sales that we do are for celebrations. So the work is more about getting out into the community and putting your energy into the franchise. As long as I came with that hustle, I knew it was something that could be very prosperous, for both me and the company at large.”

Overall, Edible’s commitment to building a community-driven culture within franchising goes beyond product offerings and sales — it’s about creating meaningful relationships, celebrating life’s moments and giving franchisees the tools to thrive in their local markets.

As Mele puts it, “It’s about making people feel connected, and that’s at the heart of everything we do.”

For more information on franchising with Edible, visit: https://1851franchise.com/edible.

About Edible® 

Founded in 1999, Edible® has revolutionized the gifting industry, uniquely leveraging the synergistic power of an innovative e-commerce hub and locally owned brick-and-mortar locations across the globe. Edible's platform seamlessly blends the convenience of online shopping with a vast retail footprint that services over 80% of U.S. households within an hour. Expanding beyond its iconic fruit arrangements, Edible has a range of offerings, including delectable dessert boards, cookies, brownies, cakes, farm-fresh flowers and more – perfect for every celebratory occasion and any treat-yourself moment. For more information, visit edible.com.