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Edible Brands<\/strong> operates both corporate-owned and franchised Edible Arrangements<\/strong> stores, but these brick-and-mortar locations have a few key differences from other kinds of specialty retail. In fact, they\u2019re closer in form to takeout-heavy fast casual restaurants \u2014 which Edible Brands also operates, in the form of the R\u014dti<\/strong> chain of build-your-own-meal-style restaurants (think Chipotle<\/strong> with Mediterranean food).<\/p>\n \u201cThe right way to think about the [Edible Arrangements] model is as an ecommerce business that has [stores as] fulfillment centers<\/strong>,\u201d said Edible Brands President and Chief Stores Officer Matthew Walls in an interview with Retail TouchPoints<\/em>. \u201cAbout 80%<\/strong> of the commerce goes through digital means and then it\u2019s delivered, and typically not to the person who bought it, [since it\u2019s generally a gift purchase]. What I have to think about is how I optimize the remaining 20%<\/strong> of that business.\u201d<\/p>\n Such a business model requires a careful approach to site selection, both for Edible Arrangements and for R\u014dti. Edible Brands currently operates 17 <\/strong>R\u014dti restaurants, in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and Minnesota, and is looking to accelerate growth for both this banner and for Edible Arrangements.<\/p>\n Walls discussed Edible Brands\u2019 approach to real estate as well as the many impacts that site selection and store design can have on day-to-day operations.<\/p>\n Retail TouchPoints (RTP): Given the delivery-heavy nature of the Edible Arrangements business, what are some of the most important things you\u2019re looking for in terms of site selection?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Matthew Walls: <\/strong>Essentially what we\u2019re looking for is a place that\u2019s convenient for people to visit and is also a great location to deliver from. My professional career started in geospatial mapping at General Electric<\/strong>, so I\u2019m partial to the analytics piece, and applying AI and psychographics to it. When we see a [potential] location, we throw it into the system to see whether we can be successful or not there. We do this for both corporate-owned stores and franchises.<\/p>\n We\u2019re always trying to find nice real estate with good visibility as well as good access to delivery routes<\/strong>. We have to look at egress and traffic flow \u2014 for example, you don\u2019t want a location that\u2019s super busy from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. [when many deliveries are scheduled]. We also like to have high transactional co-tenants around, because we do rely on some carryout business<\/strong>.<\/p>\n RTP: What are the real estate priorities for the R\u014dti locations?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Walls: <\/strong>Like most of our fast casual competitors in this build-your-own niche, a large lunchtime crowd will usually show up, so we look for power centers [real estate-speak for larger shopping centers] that are close to office buildings. The R\u014dti stores we purchased in February are predominantly in central business districts, such as downtown Chicago, to get that office traffic. But a growing trend that we\u2019re seeing in more suburban centers is that while lunch [traffic is light], the afternoon and evening day parts give a nice bump. I\u2019m confident that we can greatly expand out of the urban niche with R\u014dti.<\/p>\n RTP: What do you see as Edible Brands\u2019 role during the construction\/buildout phases of a new location?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Walls: <\/strong>For corporate-owned stores, we run everything \u2014 my real estate, construction and design teams are very hands-on, managing the contractors and the designers and then working with local municipalities. For franchisees, my job is really as a consultant; the franchisee finds great real estate and works with the general contractor. If I see things falling behind, I can ask the franchisee, \u201cDo you need us to whisper into your general contractor\u2019s ear?,\u201d but I prefer to educate and inform the franchisees. We\u2019re knowledgeable enough to go to the general contractor or really anyone in their ecosystem, and there are approvals we have to give, but primarily I\u2019m operating as a consultant.<\/p>\n RTP: How about after the stores open? What are some common challenges?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Walls: <\/strong>We have to think about the customer journey for the 20%<\/strong> of the business [that\u2019s not delivery]. That means it needs to be very easy to get in and out, as well as reducing any friction it would take for customers to pick up what they\u2019ve already ordered or to buy something. We also want that [shopping area] to look like it\u2019s actually being merchandised \u2014 that we\u2019re not just putting all the stuff we carry up front. It\u2019s hard to tell a story when the shelves are overly packed with products.<\/strong><\/p>\n Our next-generation Edible Arrangements store, located in North Haven, Conn., has a redesigned storefront that\u2019s meant to be more of a retailing space versus a \u201cpickup counter.\u201d It uses lighter woods and more focused lighting as well as updated graphics. We\u2019ve realized that yes, we are a fulfillment center for ecommerce, but we do have all these other offerings, like smoothies, cheesecake and cookies.<\/p>\n Another element involves third-party delivery orders. At a R\u014dti, for example, I really don\u2019t want delivery drivers to meander through the dining area or cut the [customer] queue. I inherited stores that weren\u2019t designed [to circumvent that], but with any new R\u014dti building, the [delivery driver] access point will be close to the POS system, in order to monitor that the right people are picking up the right order. Design principles are always about flow and reducing friction.<\/strong><\/p>\n RTP: How do you use design to reflect the community where these stores operate?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Walls: <\/strong>Any time you can bring some local essence into a design, it makes a ton of sense. It\u2019s not just splashing the city\u2019s name on the wall; you want to use elements from the area. For instance, with R\u014dti\u2019s Lincoln Park location in Chicago, it\u2019s all glass and very bright, with Mediterranean tile to lead customers through the queue. In other urban areas we\u2019ve use more steel and polished concrete floors, with darker colors and high ceilings. That\u2019s what\u2019s fun about the R\u014dti side: as long as I have about 600 square feet<\/strong> for the operational center of the store, I can have fun with the rest of it.<\/p>\n RTP: What are other ways design affects how Edible Brands\u2019 stores operate?<\/mark><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Walls: <\/strong>A lot of spaces are designed for guests\/customers and not for team members. I learned early in my career that if your team members are forgotten \u2014 if your ambassador to the guest doesn\u2019t have a proper area where they can blow off steam [if they\u2019re having a problem] and then gather themselves, for example \u2014 they can\u2019t be their best selves for the guest.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.retailtouchpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Matthew-Walls_EdibleBrands-462x600.jpg\")
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