Top Franchise Development Executives of 2024: Mark Mele, Edible® Brands

Mark Mele, chief development officer at Edible® Brands, has nearly 40 years of experience in franchising. Starting his career in 1985 with Century 21 Real Estate Corporation as a franchise sales manager, he has since worked for eight different franchise brands. His passion lies in growing franchise brands by focusing on process and building a solid foundation so that scaling can be achieved. Additionally he is known for his ability to create and implement positive change in the areas of franchise operations and franchise support.

1851 Franchise spoke with Mark Mele to learn more about his story, as well as to learn about some common mistakes he sees franchisors making in today’s industry.

1851 Franchise: Tell us about your brand.

Mark Mele: The Edible brand goes back 25 years; we just celebrated our 25th anniversary. Developed as a startup brand in 1999, it's really become a legacy brand in the world of franchising — a brand that has endured the test of time. What started as floral designs made of fruit has grown into a $500 million business with hundreds of brick-and-mortar locations worldwide. Edible is one of the world’s most beloved and leading omni-channel gift and treat destinations. So, it’s certainly not an emerging brand anymore, it’s a mature brand that is pivoting in order to cater to evolving consumer preferences and strengthen the brand’s position in the market.   

Right now, we're taking Edible to a new level with our Next Generation stores. We’re changing the store design and operations a bit, giving them more of a café-type setting. That’s a brand new launch for us that is underway. Lots of exciting developments!

1851: How did you get into franchising?

Mele: I started franchising in 1985, many years ago, working for Century 21 Real Estate Corporation. It was my first franchise position, and I was hired as a franchise sales manager, which meant I was responsible — along with other team members — for opening brand-new Century 21 Real Estate offices in the Midwest territory. That was almost 40 years ago! 

I’ve always stayed on the sales and development side of franchising because I get energized when I see entrepreneurs passionate about growing a business and wanting to be part of a franchise system. They realize that while they could do it on their own, franchising offers significant benefits. It’s always been exciting for me to see how much more successful they can be with the support of a franchise system.

Over the years, I’ve worked for several different franchise companies — eight brands in total. Now I’m at Edible, again, focusing on development and company growth. That includes everything related to the franchise prospect journey from a sales perspective: buying a new franchise, finding real estate and completing the construction process if it’s a brick-and-mortar location, which is the case for Edible and most other brands I’ve worked for.

1851: Are there any keys to consistent franchise growth?

Mele: First, the franchisor must focus on unit-level economics. The brand at the store or unit level must make money and be profitable. The operations or support team needs to ensure that franchisees have what they need to be successful and that they’re using all the tools available to them. A franchise business is successful because the franchisor created a model for the consumer, and franchising allows an independent person to step in and use that system. But it’s crucial to maintain high quality and consistency across all locations.

Each unit must be engaged and follow the system. We often say, "If you're not following the franchisor's system, what system are you following?" If franchisees want to be on their own, franchising may not be a good fit. An important key to franchising is selecting the right people and giving them the tools they need to follow the system and succeed.

1851: What are the biggest hurdles to successful franchise growth right now?

Mele: You’re referring to the current economic climate, right? There are always ebbs and flows in the business world, whether it’s real estate, franchising or banking. Economic conditions can make it tough, particularly for franchise systems dependent on consumer spending, like restaurants. That’s why you need to pay close attention to the KPIs [key performance indicators] of your business, understand where to market your brand and stay focused on the guest experience and their satisfaction. It’s essential to be connected with your guests/customers at all times, but especially during tough economic periods.

Make sure you’re executing on high quality, as that can set you apart from your competitors. You also need to stay focused on key business metrics — cost of goods sold, payroll and other expenses, how you treat your guests and how you treat your employees. Better training and a strong focus on delivering value to both employees and guests are key. In challenging times, a 360-degree approach to the business is crucial, and it’s what keeps brands resilient.

1851: What are the most common mistakes you see franchisors making when trying to grow?

Mele: A lot of franchisors fail to give their franchisees what they need to succeed. There’s a proven track to run on, but if the franchisor isn’t paying attention to how their system is being executed in the field, they risk damaging the brand. This is especially true if franchisees aren’t maintaining the expected level of quality. Even the biggest brands, like Subway, or McDonalds, need to ensure that basics such as food preparation and store cleanliness are consistent across locations. If a local franchisee fails to maintain these standards, it can reflect poorly on the entire brand.

That’s why it’s critical for franchisors to have regional operations teams conducting quality assurance checks to ensure that each location is delivering the right products and services at a high level of quality.

1851: What is your number one goal at the moment?

Mele: Right now, my top goal within the Edible business is to continue growing the Edible brand and to remodel and refresh it, while rolling out a new prototype. It’s all about franchise development and growth for me. In a way, franchise development is like the engine-building team for the car—we’re focused on improving the product, the franchise offering, and the store experience. We’re working on a new prototype, refreshing and remodeling hundreds of units, which is a massive effort. 

This is a big project, and it’s incredibly exciting to work on these types of growth initiatives, especially when we are seeing other brands scale back. We're gaining a lot of traction, and I believe we’ll continue to grow and evolve at a good pace. It’s a lot of fun, and we’re enjoying the process!

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