Will Americans go for fast fruit instead of fast food?
Filed under: Entrepreneurship, Food, Health
McD-ed out and want something lean on the go?Edible Arrangements, the fruit bouquet guys, made their foray into the quick-service sector this month, selling juices, salads, smoothies and dipped fruits to customers in a hurry. Frutation stores are locating themselves near high foot-traffic areas and existing Edible Arrangement stores. They are butting heads with Jamba Juice, Qdoba and of course the burger giants.
It may be the next logical step for a company that sustains itself selling perishable food. And with all the talk about insurance companies shying away from overweight clients, healthy is definitely trendy. But, in a hemorrhaging economy, dwindling disposable income and an already saturated quick-service food market, launching something new is quite the bold move.
The company does seem to be on a growth spurt; it has more than 900-locations and shows no sign of slowing down The goal is to touch the 1,000 mark by 2010, an Edible Arrangements spokeswoman said in an email.
There are already 20 Frutation stores since its debut, and plans are underway to open more stores in Massachusetts and Virginia.
Here's a peek at the menu: FruZees (iced fruit beverages) are $3.95 and $5.95; FruSalads (greens with fruits etc) are $6.95; and FruSalsas(pita with fresh fruit dipping sauce) are priced at $4.95.
The price seems on target. But will the fast fruit habit grow on Americans and turn them away from their burgers and fries? Only time will tell.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-25-2009 @ 1:03PM
anibeth said...
Fast fruit and healthy eating is here to stay, forever; fast food places like Burger King, KFC, Long John Silvers, Quizno, Dairy Queen, McDonald's, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell will go away, all together. They deserve to have no business with us, with their poisonous, unhealthy fast 'food' fare. It is time for us to combat dangerous obesity and foolish 'fat' pride and to change out of our destructive eating habits once and for all!
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10-26-2009 @ 2:51PM
peter said...
not a chance when you can buy fruit at grocery stores, burgers etc are here to stay
10-26-2009 @ 3:58PM
rob said...
Burgers places are going to disappear anibeth? What fantasy world do you live in? It will never happen as anyone with any common sense knows.
10-27-2009 @ 2:11PM
Wingedgodd3ss said...
It isn't just fast food people need to dump. It's high fructose corn syrup too....which seems to be in everything!
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10-26-2009 @ 2:13PM
Lisa Marie said...
You Know.....I tried to order one of these for my mother in law 2 weeks ago because she had just had emergency open heart surgery and was told that I couldnt order it because they didnt deliver in her area????????? she lives in a suburb of OHIO! Not in the boondocks! I'm very upset about it, and I will never spend a cent with this company! Since they spend a ton of money advertising and to find out its not available! WHAT A CROCK OF SH*T! FALSE ADVERTISING, and extremely expensive!
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10-26-2009 @ 3:42PM
Mike said...
Don't get so worked up! Just think, if healthcare reform goes through....she might have had to wait 6 months or more for surgery. Makes the entire premise of your rant kind of pointless doesn't it? Calm down and count your blessings!
10-26-2009 @ 7:21PM
Nada said...
Lisa Marie,
I think that your response is a little over the top?
Most likely the company would prefer you went to Burger King anyway babe.
10-26-2009 @ 2:52PM
ed said...
Hey Lisa Marie....you might try to take some anger management courses...a company does not deliver in certain areas because of logistical problems (it is a corporate decision based on economics).....just go to the fruit stand and buy some fresh fruit instead, put it in a nice basket with some little hand written thoughts and family pics your mom would enjoy....so beautiful and so much MORE meaning........OR shoot off at the hip, bad mouth, and condemn a company and it's products of which you know nothing about....Are you a spoiled brat by any chance ??
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10-26-2009 @ 3:23PM
shannon said...
haha!!!! Very well put!!
10-26-2009 @ 6:37PM
Gina said...
Edible Arrangements is really good. Yes, a bit expensive. But it comes in all kinds of ways. I bought my husband fruit inside a ceramic football. It is very fresh. For my son and his new wife; I ordered chocolate covered strawberries. The hardest part is when you have to put them in ziplock bags. 'cause the arrangements are so pretty. For a special event. Go w/this co.
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10-26-2009 @ 3:06PM
kmatt said...
I cannot believe that people sit and complain about the cost of buying fast food, but continue to buy it every day. This is just going to be another over priced fast food chain. I am all for healthy eating, but what has happened to people that they cannot make up a small salad at night, bring along a small amount of dressing (and you can now even buy prepackaged dressings), put it in a small insulated bag with a small blue ice and save about 6 or 7 dollars a day on lunch. Making a salad costs pennies and even with a prepackaged dressing, you save a ton.
I do not get appeal to eating from any fast food place. It all tastes the same and very generic. The taste is horrid.
I cannot remember the last time i ate at a fast food place or even those chain generic restaurants like TGIF, Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's, etc... yuck
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10-26-2009 @ 5:08PM
Lisa said...
Everyone complaining about expensive, healthy fast food-ever buy bottled water??? If someone would have told you 15 years ago that bottled water would be a multi million dollar business, would you have believed it? Have you ever been on the road, needed something FAST to eat, and your only options were McDs or B King? How nice to have an alternative. I know they'll do well in Colorado, one of the healthiest states in the country, maybe you're from Mississippi, the unhealthiest state in the country? Google it if you don't trust me.
10-26-2009 @ 3:18PM
Jennifer said...
This sounds good. I would rather take my kids through this drive thru, than one that sells something that isn't healthy. I would also rather pay a little extra for the convenience of this and the fresh fruit, than pay later for doctor bills because my kids are feeling slow and sluggish, have cholesteral problems, etc. When you put something good into your body- you feel good, not just physically, but mentally, too.
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10-26-2009 @ 3:54PM
pete staff said...
No.
Not many. Fruit is great after a meal. or as a snack. But a meal of only fruit may be if your a veggie.
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10-26-2009 @ 3:54PM
Mike said...
I don't know Edible Arrangements.. but in Mexico, in most of the bigger towns and cities there is a great fast food fruit chain called Gusher's, with delicious fruit salads, or all one kind of fruit, smoothies. licuados, drinks, etc.. you can even get a big bowl of buttered corn if you like! I can see that catching on here in the U.S.. Very healthy fare.. sometimes its attached to a 'farmacia' kind of like a naturalistic Lindbergh Nutrition in the back..
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10-26-2009 @ 4:23PM
anna said...
Fruit in itself is full of sugar, albeit natural sugar, but still sugar. I agree with it being a desert or a snack, but not a full on meal. Can we say diabetes anyone? I prefere veggies and water. Stew and soup are a great way to hide the veggies from my picky 3 yr old. And luckliy for me, my 5 yr old loves brocoli. If they could add some veggies to the menu I'd go for it, but until then, I'll stick with my home-made food.
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10-27-2009 @ 3:08PM
ML said...
Great marketing plan. "Oh we sell healthy food so we obviously care about our consumer!" It's all about money folks. If they can make a buck off of it then they'll do it, if they can't then they won't. They don't care two pennies about you the consumer's health (unless it makes them liable). You're all missing the big picture here..The debate shouldn't be about healthy food vs. non-healthy food, it should be about whether or not this company can maintain profitability in an already over-saturated fast food market. Here's an idea: Make your own food.
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10-26-2009 @ 6:17PM
patty said...
come to St. Petersburg Florida
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10-26-2009 @ 6:28PM
MCGREGAH said...
Their fruit taste like crap. Go to a produce stand and get the good stuff.
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10-27-2009 @ 7:27PM
TLS said...
I've always in visioned a drive threw convenience store that sold fresh fruit and veggies. And maybe some kind of low carb lunch meals. Just fruit is not a "fast food" place. It needs to include protein and veggies as one person said to watch out for those with diabetes.
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