Edible Arrangements Experiences Strong Growth in 2009, Considering India Expansion

21st January 2010: Edible Arrangements, the pioneer and leader in hand-sculpted, fresh-fruit arrangements, has experienced strong growth in 2009 with the opening of 74 new stores and franchise agreements for more than 85 locations in the U.S. and internationally. Currently, Edible Arrangements has over 940 locations with the goal to reach 1,000 units by the end of 2010. In addition to its strong franchise sales, Edible Arrangements also experienced an unprecedented year with double digit growth in the U.S. and Canada. The company's unit growth was concentrated in Texas and the Midwest with stores also opening in California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Virginia along with other markets across the country. In addition, development agreements have been signed with new and existing franchisees for the opening of more than 85 stores in the U.S., Rome, Hong Kong and Turkey.

"We celebrated our 10-year anniversary in 2009, and it is remarkable to see how much the company has grown in the past decade, particularly in a year in which many businesses struggled, our company was still able to prove its universal and widespread appeal to both franchisees and consumers," said Tariq Farid, Founder and CEO, Edible Arrangements, Inc. "Our proven franchise system and healthful high-quality products are the keys to our success, and we look forward to continuing to grow and evolve our company and brand in 2010."

As part of the company's aggressive growth strategy, Edible Arrangements is seeking to add several new development agreements in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, and other areas of the United States, while expanding its presence to India, Brazil, Mexico, Spain and Canada. Most recently, Edible Arrangements announced a new enterprise development program and the company's evolution into multi-unit franchising. A central component of the new strategy is Frutation by Edible Arrangements®, a grab-and-go concept paired with the traditional Edible Arrangement concept, offering customers fresh-fruit smoothies and juices, dipped fruit, signature fresh fruit salads and a variety of other fresh-fruit products. To support the national launch of Frutation, Edible Arrangements hired a corporate chef to create new products, new production procedures and new recipes.

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