Somia Farid Silber With Edible Brands

Intro: Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX studio in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s time for Atlanta Business Radio, brought to you by Kennesaw State University’s Executive MBA program, the accelerated degree program for working professionals looking to advance their career and enhance their leadership skills. And now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: Lee Kantor here, another episode of Atlanta Business Radio. And this is going to be a good one. But before we get started, it’s important to recognize our sponsor, CSU’s executive MBA program. Without them, we couldn’t be sharing these important stories. Today on Atlanta Business Radio, we have Somia Farid Silber with Edible Brands. Welcome.

Somia Farid Silber: Thanks so much for having me, Lee. Happy to be here.

Lee Kantor: I am so excited to learn what you’re up to. For those who aren’t familiar, can you share a little bit about edible brands? How are you serving folks?

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah, so Edible Brands is the parent company of a brand we all know and love called Edible Arrangements. We’ve been around since the late 90s, started out in East Haven, Connecticut, and quickly grew to 800 locations today, doing about half a billion in sales and helping people celebrate moments that matter with our delicious food, gifts and treats.

Lee Kantor: So what was the genesis of the idea? How did the concept come about?

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah, so my dad was actually a florist. He had a flower shop in Connecticut. You fruit has always been the central to our family. Fruit is dessert, as we like to say. At home, he’d seen the concept of fruit cut into fancy shapes and said, let’s see if we can do something that we can bring to people very easily. And Edible Arrangements was born in the back of the flower shop. We started franchising in 2001, opened our first franchise location in Waltham, Massachusetts and happy to say we are about 99% franchise today with a couple corporate locations here and there.

Lee Kantor: So at first was the main driver of business, using the fruit as flowers, like a substitute for flowers.

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah, it’s we we love flowers. So we actually recently got back into flowers and have, you know, traditional flower bouquets as an offering at Edible Arrangements too. But it was, you know, how do you create something that everyone can enjoy beyond flowers that, you know, you might get to see sitting at your table for a couple of weeks? We started out with, you know, all of the fruits that we enjoy, like strawberries and grapes and pineapples started dipping them in chocolate. Chocolate dipped fruit is actually one of our best sellers today and has been since since we launched that in the 2000.

Lee Kantor: So how have you been able to expand the occasions for where edible is the right solution for consumers challenge or whatever they’re dealing with?

Somia Farid Silber: Great question. Our top occasion that people use edible for is birthdays has been since day one. We’ve actually recently seen an uptick in just because gifting, and our data is showing us that 1 in 4 purchases is usually just because whether it’s, you know, a treat that you’re picking up on your way home or, you know, surprise and pick me up for your friends really liking that occasion. Starting to take more life. But birthdays continues to be a hit. Anniversaries are top, holidays are Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. We see a lot of happy, significant others and moms and moms and motherly figures during that time. Um, yeah. And just continuing to hit home on just because gifting. Um, we are seeing a very big uptick in sales with millennials and Gen Z as well. So one of my main priorities as I’ve jumped into this role and really since I joined the company, is how do you start to introduce the brand to that next generation of trendsetting consumers? Um, and we’ve been able to do that by increasing our our product offering and expanding the categories and moving beyond just the fruit arrangements to, like I mentioned, flowers. We’ve got a whole bake shop line. Um, chocolates and so much more.

Lee Kantor: Now, when you were younger, was this something that was on your roadmap that at some point you were going to come and take over for your father?

Somia Farid Silber: I think it was always in the back of my mind. I’ve grown up in the business. The first store opened when I was six years old. Um, I used to go there after school almost every day. Uh, I went to used to go to visit franchisees, opened their stores, and all through college, you know, whenever we were working on a case study or a group project, I was always thinking about how whatever we were learning could impact edible. Um, I did a brief stint in advertising after I graduated college and then joined the company full time in 2016, and have worked my way through a variety of departments since then.

Lee Kantor: So, um, what is it like kind of now leading the organization? Are you obviously there’s a lot of things going just like they should, but I’m sure you have your own kind of vision on what this could be.

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah. For me, the biggest priority is is continuing this brand refresh and turnaround. And like I said, bringing in that next generation of consumers and really understanding what they’re looking for. So we have a very strong e-commerce platform and we also have a really incredible retail destination. So over the last year, we’ve worked on roadmaps for each one of those channels. And, you know, with e-commerce, want to introduce more personalization to the platform, really let customers shop how they want to shop, whether it’s by category or by occasion, show them promotions and offers that are relevant to them. So that’s, you know, one side of the house and then the other side of the house with retail, it’s continue to continue to bring in new franchisees into the system and then building best in class destinations. And really excited to share that. We’re actually working on building out a flagship location here in Atlanta, right on Roswell Road. Soon?

Lee Kantor: Yeah. Um, as full disclosure, as a consumer of edible over the years, in multiple occasions, a variety of occasions, some of which you discussed. Um, I’ve seen a shift for myself as a consumer that at first it was I would just call them to get something sent for something that has occurred. And now I’m noticing that there’s, uh, an effort to make the store more of a drop in and come in and kind of explore there, rather than just a place to call to fulfill an order.

Somia Farid Silber: Definitely. Yeah. And what we’ve realized is the online shopper is very different from a call and shopper, um, who’s different from a, you know, stop by stop in the store shopper. So we definitely want to create different ways for customers to interact with the brand. Um, a lot of that has to do with making sure that the product offering is unique for each one of those platforms and channels. So in our stores you can find smoothies, you can find small treats under $1,520 to go. But then you can also buy that that arrangement for a birthday or an anniversary.

Lee Kantor: Now, how do you kind of marry the the two things you mentioned? One, you said franchising, which is an important part of the company, but also there’s an online component. How do you keep your franchisees okay with you also having an online presence and, you know, online sales through that avenue?

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah, yeah, I’d say the beauty of our system is that the online, the the online system and our website is actually feeding orders to our franchisees. So all of the orders that get generated online are actually fulfilled by our locally owned and operated franchise locations, which is great because that gives them an immediate revenue stream. So they actually work very hand in hand. Both of the channels are incredibly dependent on each other. Um, our franchisees, uh, not only are they selling all of the stuff that you see online, they’ve got their own offering, but it allows us to have that that personal touch with the the customer and the recipient. So Edible Arrangements gifts don’t show up in a brown box on your doorstep. They’re actually every single one of them is actually hand-delivered by a delivery ambassador from our stores.

Lee Kantor: Now, why was it important to kind of land here in Atlanta? And how has kind of that shaped edible in the growth and the vision for the future?

Somia Farid Silber: We so we actually had one of our IT companies based out of Atlanta beginning 2014 or 2015. So when we started to explore, um, moving out of Connecticut, Atlanta was top of mind and it actually made the transition down here easy since we already had a presence. And so that was one factor, two, really great transportation hub. Um, I’ve lived in Atlanta for six years now, and I’ve come to really enjoy traveling out of Hartsfield Jackson and really like that I can get anywhere in one hop. So that was a big driver for us, especially since we have remote employees in the field working with our franchisees. Um, and then of course, the franchise and the tech talent. Atlanta is a fantastic franchise hub. It’s a tech hub. And it was really important for us to be able to draw on that talent. Um, and we’re really happy with the the decision to move down here. I was the first one to move down from the team in in 2018 and have helped build our, our tech and E-com and now franchise teams here.

Lee Kantor: So you mentioned, um, a new store in Roswell Road. Can you talk a little bit about what that flagship is going to be like and look like and how the community, you know, the community’s going to interact with it?

Somia Farid Silber: We’re still in very early stages. We actually do have a store on Roswell Road today in the Tuxedo Plaza Center. Um, so we’ll be moving that location about a mile and a half up the street to the Chastain Square neighborhood. Um, and the goal is to really turn it into a flagship retail destination like we were talking about. And, uh, your comment on stores becoming more of a place where people can come in and order. We wanted to have the, of course, the fruit arrangements and the food gifts, but then also have a retail component where you can come in and get a gift basket. You can get a gift for a party, you can get treats for your kids, whatever it may be. So really excited to have a location somewhere with a lot of foot traffic, a lot of eyeballs, and a lot of traffic, um, and start to integrate more into the community.

Lee Kantor: Now, having grown up in an entrepreneurial family and you kind of embracing entrepreneurship at early on in your life and your career, how do you see edible kind of contributing to the entrepreneurial community here in Atlanta?

Somia Farid Silber: We yeah, we I’ve, I’ve grown up in an entrepreneurial household. My dad instilled entrepreneurial leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit in me from a very young age. I went to Babson College, which is one of the best schools for entrepreneurial leadership. Um recently joined the Endeavor Advisory Council. It’s a group that works with high impact entrepreneurs in the southeast. Um, so really excited to be a part of that and continue to find opportunities to get integrated into the the business and entrepreneurial community here.

Lee Kantor: So any advice for maybe second generation entrepreneurs taking over a parent’s business, anything you’ve learned or anything you can share that might help make that path a little smoother?

Somia Farid Silber: Um, yeah, I, my dad and I, we work very well together. Um, our leadership styles complement each other. Um, I think, you know, what we’ve we’ve learned very quickly is very open lines of communication, right? So we’re constantly talking not just as father or daughter, but also as business partners. Um, and it’s really important that we have transparent conversations and open lines of communication with how the business is doing, where it’s going. And, you know, sometimes it can be a little challenging, right? When you’re spending time as a family, we’re usually talking shop, but I think that’s what’s helped me be the leader and individual that I am today is just being a sponge at a really young age and just taking a lot in. Um, and, you know, there’s, there’s trust between us, but the trust is there because we know whenever there is a challenge or a situation, we’ll be able to tackle it together and make sure we have each other to rely on. So, um, yeah.

Lee Kantor: Now I’ve had the, um, fortune to have worked on several, uh, family owned business shows over the years and family owned business. I wasn’t aware of it, but they have their own unique challenges. Is there anything you can share about how to manage that kind of separation between the business and the family, and then the family and the family? Because sometimes, you know, not everybody in the family is involved in the in the business. And it can dominate conversations and it can dominate kind of time if you let it to. How do you kind of manage both of those things?

Somia Farid Silber: I think one thing that I learned pretty early on is that when you’re in a family business, business is personal. So there really is no such thing as, you know, leaving work at work and then coming home and forgetting about it. And part of that’s just because, like I was saying, you’re you’re in it all the time. You’re thinking about it all the time. Um, so, you know, for us as a family business is very personal, but, um, we, whoever’s in the business and operating it, um, we find ways and avenues to talk about it and make sure we’re having discussions and making informed decisions. Luckily for us, it’s really just my dad and I and one of my sisters who works with us on our franchise development team. So we’re a small crew, and we meet regularly to talk about what’s going on and how we can all help each other out. Um, so we’re fortunate in the sense that there aren’t a lot of, um, operators from the family, um, within the business today. Um, but, you know, I think something that’s important to us is when we are together as a family, we do spend time together and talk about other interests and other things. And luckily, you know, I have a daughter, I’ve got nieces. So when the kids are around, they are exposed to the business. But at the same time, when we’re home, it’s really time to enjoy them and be together as a family.

Lee Kantor: Now, you touched on this a little bit, but can you share a little bit more about this new subscription service, Fresh Fruit? Com and um, what’s that going to be like from a consumer standpoint? What can they expect?

Somia Farid Silber: Super excited about it. So if you go to fresh fruit com today you’ll see you know staple produce that’s available um on a subscription basis. You can order it for a weekly subscription or a monthly subscription. We’ve got boxes that start at right around $40 and and increase from there. And it’s all about ease and convenience. Right? I’m a busy parent. Many. There’s many, many busy parents and people who are looking for easy and convenient ways to to get whole fruit and and help all things health and wellness to their families. So we’re really excited about this offering. Um, and hope you get a chance to to check out Fresh fruit com.

Lee Kantor: And.

Lee Kantor: That’ll be it’s kind of on a subscription basis. It’s not something you just go or I guess you could just go and order one time, but it’s meant to be kind of a regular.

Somia Farid Silber: You could order one time and if you like it, you can turn it into a subscription as well. Uh, today it’s a lot of staple fruits like pineapples, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, apples. Really excited about introducing seasonal offerings as well as early as springtime next year.

Lee Kantor: And then what do you need more of? How can we help you? Are you looking to get more franchisees? Are you looking just more folks checking out the brand? What do you need more of?

Somia Farid Silber: Yeah, I always love it when people check out the brand and visit us on Fresh fruit. Com and Audible.com. We’re excited about kicking up all things franchise development and sales with the the next gen store rolling out. We have a couple that are in build right now between Connecticut, Atlanta and Orlando, Florida. So if there’s any interest for next gen edible franchising, give us a shout.

Lee Kantor: And do you have a story you can share, maybe of a franchisee that came into the system and then has, you know, edibles impacted their life and they’ve been able to kind of build their own edible empire within your brand.

Somia Farid Silber: There’s so many, there’s so many that come to mind. I’ll share. We have a franchisee in Ohio. Um, his name is John Grover. Uh, he actually started out as a delivery ambassador in one of our stores in Ohio, and slowly worked his way up to manager and recently became an owner, um, with, with the new franchise partner who took over that enterprise. So he’s he’s a fantastic franchisee. We’ve loved seeing him grow from working in the store, um, to now being an owner of of six locations. Um, you know, those franchising is so powerful because it creates small business owners all over the country. And we’re excited to have people like John within our system.

Lee Kantor: And then one more time, if somebody wants to connect with the brand website.

Lee Kantor: Uh, you.

Somia Farid Silber: Can find out more about the brand at Audible.com. Um, fresh fruit. Com is our, uh, new subscription platform. Um, and then if there’s ever any interest in franchising, you can visit us at franchising.com.

Lee Kantor: Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Somia Farid Silber: Thanks so much for having me, Lee.

Lee Kantor: All right.

Lee Kantor: This Lee Kantor we’ll see you all next time on Atlanta Business Radio.