Edible® Franchise: Almedia Freeman's Journey to Creating Meaningful Moments

Almedia Freeman’s journey to becoming an Edible® franchise owner was rooted in a passion for creating meaningful moments for others. In December 2024, Freeman officially became the owner of an Edible store in Chicago, combining her business expertise with her love for thoughtful gifting.

“My career background is in the business world,” Freeman said. “We started operating a family restaurant, and I really enjoyed working there and serving people. I got my degree in business and spent 15 years operating businesses and serving others.”

Her connection with Edible began through personal experience. “When I got married, we always gave my husband’s mother gifts for the holidays,” she said. “When I saw Edible for the first time, their arrangements looked so nice. We had given my mother-in-law everything under the sun, but when we saw Edible, it looked like the perfect gift for Mother’s Day. We were really knocked off our feet by Edible. I really liked the way it made me feel when I saw how she felt.”

That memorable moment ignited a deeper interest in Edible. “I actually started researching Edible after that,” Freeman said. “I really liked the idea of how they create these beautiful things and celebrate special occasions.”

In addition to her business ventures, Freeman began operating Airbnbs and often used Edible arrangements as gifts for her clients.

“I always gave my clients a nice gift and started using Edible for that,” she said. “I decided this was something I really wanted to do. I spend a lot of time thinking about ways to make people happy.”

Before officially taking ownership, Freeman spent a year working in the Chicago store to learn the ins and outs of the business. From there, the transition from customer to franchisee was a natural fit. She officially took over in December of 2024.

Operating a store in her hometown of Chicago was another motivating factor for Freeman. “The area that I am in is very popular, and it makes me very motivated to continue to offer such a great product,” she said. “These are gifts for everyday occasions. I am one of those sentimental people, so this is something that is really my niche.”

Her commitment to hands-on leadership and attention to detail ensures that every customer has a positive experience. “That is what makes me excited,” Freeman said. “We want to let people know about the brand and what a great gift it is, making sure it really matters and ensuring that the people you care for understand that.”

As for what lies ahead, Freeman is already thinking about expansion. “I like what I’m doing so much and the things that I’m being exposed to so much that I would very much like to operate another store, or maybe two more depending on how well we do,” she said

For Freeman, becoming an Edible franchisee is more than a business opportunity — it’s a chance to bring joy to her community, create meaningful moments, and build a legacy for her family.

“Now when someone orders a gift for Mother’s Day, I get that same feeling I had when we ordered Edible for my mother-in-law,” she said. “It’s about helping our customers find that perfect gift.”

Founded in 1999, Edible® has revolutionized the gifting industry, uniquely leveraging the synergistic power of an innovative e-commerce hub and locally owned brick-and-mortar locations across the globe. Edible's platform seamlessly blends the convenience of online shopping with a vast retail footprint that services over 70% of U.S.

households within an hour. Expanding beyond its iconic fruit arrangements, Edible has a range of offerings, including delectable dessert boards, cookies, brownies, cakes, farm-fresh flowers and more – perfect for every celebratory occasion and any treat-yourself moment. For more information, visit edible.