Edible experiences its busiest time of year during Valentine’s Day. This year’s Valentine’s Day specifically saw the strongest sales numbers in the band’s history with a 26 percent increase from last year, which was already a record-breaking year.
In addition to Edible’s steady rise in sales, the brand opened its first ghost kitchen on February 6. Located in Tucker, Georgia, the 1,700-square foot facility serves as a delivery-only location while also providing shipping in its geographic area. Additionally, it serves as a backup for surrounding stores during the busiest times of the year, and several virtual brands will be tested there as well. The ghost kitchen’s first week open was a vast success, bringing in more than $130,000 in sales and also creating jobs in the local community. The launch came at an ideal time as Valentine’s Day orders were at their peak. Given the prosperous debut of the first ghost kitchen, more locations will be coming soon in various markets creating an opportunity for Edible owners to expand their portfolio and product reach.
“Edible continues to be a disruptor in the industry and it is amazing to see the fresh innovation with every new category,” says Patricia Perry, vice president of franchise development. “Valentine’s Day is an exciting time for our brand and it was an especially memorable holiday this year, paired with the launch of our ghost kitchen. After the rise in sales our stores experienced throughout 2020, it was delightful to see that continue into the first major holiday in 2021 and the busiest time for our brand.”
Last year, the brand welcomed 141 new and existing franchisees to establish a new Edible store in markets across the country and celebrated 46 stores reaching million-dollar status. For 2021, the brand has a robust pipeline in place to open 40 stores and to sign an additional 160 franchise agreements.
The brand is set on expanding nationally and internationally with franchise operators that have a proven track record of success. The current growth markets in the United States are Alabama, Alaska, Northern California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming. Internationally, the focus is on Canada, China, Europe, India, the Mexico, the Middle East, and Pakistan.
Those interested in opening an Edible franchise should have food service or retail experience with a proven track record of success within the franchise industry, have deep ties to their community and available liquidity to invest in a new store. Investments start at $173,600.