Ten years ago, a Connecticut florist had the novel idea to combine flower arrangements with fruit. After years of Edible Arrangement stores sprouting up all over the country, the good-for-you alternative to sweets and chocolates now hits Hoboken.
The independently owned and operated Edible Arrangements, 84 Washington St., offers delicious treats like chocolate-covered strawberries, beautiful bouquets of fresh fruit, smoothies and more.
“It looks just like a bouquet of flowers,” said owner Mohamed Elmahdy. “But you don’t throw anything away.” Elmahdy opened his store four months ago after years in the restaurant industry, managing a famous steakhouse in Manhattan for more than 17 years.
“In the restaurant business you have to present your product well,” Elmahdy said, “and this is all about presentation.”
The Orange Blossom bouquet is made with slices of cantaloupe, melon, oranges, grapes, and chocolate-dipped bananas, and is the perfect gift for coworkers or a friend. While the Sweetheart bouquet resembles a dozen roses made only with chocolate-covered strawberries.
In addition to beautiful fruit bouquets, the store also offers boxes of chocolate-dipped fruits covered with crushed nuts, lovable teddy bears, and more. The chain has over 1,000 stores nationwide and is promoting a healthy fruit smoothie for the spring called the Fruithy.
Smoothies in spring
The Fruithy is an all natural fruit drink made with your choice of fresh strawberries, pineapples, or pineapple with banana or strawberry. The drinks all have less than one gram of fat and no cholesterol.
“There’s no guilt after you have it.” Elmahdy said. “It’s made with all fruit and sweetened with real honey. It’s my breakfast everyday.”
“Our products not only please the eyes, but please the stomach too.” – Mohamed Elmahdy
________
“Lots of people in Hoboken are very health conscious,” Elmahdy said. “I think the store will do very well in the spring.”
In addition to the drinks, the store also offers health-friendly fruit salads called Frusalads that are made with a number of fresh fruits garnished with fresh-squeezed orange juice. For those looking to indulge with something a little sweeter, the FruSundae tops the fruit salads with hot fudge, whipped cream, chocolate chips, honey, chopped nuts, and more. The treats come in 8 oz., 12oz., 16 oz., or 32 oz. servings.
“Our products not only please the eyes, but please the stomach too,” Elmahdy said.
For more information on Edible Arrangements, please visit www.ediblearrangements.com or call (201) 420-0500.
Sean Allocca can be reached at current@hudsonreporter.com