GourmetGiftBaskets.com
A Vested for Growth Business Champion
FROM LEFT: JEFF, RYAN AND TRUDY ABOOD
Inc. Magazine’s 2015 list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies contains tech start-ups, health-care innovators, a clothing retailer or two and a New Hampshire gift-basket company.
“It really is a fairy-tale story,” said Trudy Abood, matriarch of the family that owned Chalifour’s Flowers for decades before launching GourmetGiftBaskets.com (GGB) in 2002.
In 2009, GGB ranked as high as 37 on the INC 5000 for its remarkable growth. “We remained on the list for five years, something not many companies do,” said Director of Sales and Marketing Jason Bergeron.
The story began in the basement of Chalifour’s in Manchester. Chalifour’s had always carried gifts and gourmet food items, but mostly to sell as value-added purchases with its flowers.
A trip to New York’s famed Fancy Food Show in 2002 started the Aboods on a new path. They bought the URL “GourmetGiftBaskets.com,” launched that Web site, and began assembling baskets in Chalifour’s basement.
Online retailing hadn’t yet exploded, so establishing and building their new brand early was key to GGB’s growth, said Jason. “We were dependable. We delivered on our promises and delivered our gift baskets intact.”
Then as now, customer service was everything. Family members called every customer to thank them for their order and an offer to help with any problems, said Trudy.
By 2005, GGB had $250,000 in revenue and became its own company. Rapid growth soon followed. A decade later, the Aboods expect 2015 revenue to reach $20 to $22 million.
The revenue growth has been matched by both personnel and facility growth. What began as a family affair now boasts 53 employees and the facility has grown exponentially from the flower shop basement to—after three moves—a 75,000-square-foot facility in Kingston.
As in many companies, solid marketing, continuous product innovation, and customer service have been GGB’s key growth drivers, but its customer-focused and entrepreneurial culture remain the foundation of everything the company does, said Trudy.
“We’re all for one, one for all,” added Jason. “That’s our big advantage. I have the things I need to get done, but I might also end up making popcorn for our baskets and our retail line.”
That retail popcorn line just might be the Aboods’ next success.
In 2010, corporate customers were asking for popcorn tins to send to clients. GGB didn’t carry them, so the Aboods sought out the best popcorn they could find and made the tins themselves.
Within two years the popcorn items had taken off, and the Aboods registered the URL “KingOfPop.com” to capture customers specifically looking for popcorn. The targeted URL strategy has worked well for GGB; the brand also encompasses Cheesecake.com, Strawberries.com, and GourmetGifts.com.
KingofPop.com has landed in national retailers like Target, and may be launched as a separate company in the future.
The lesson Trudy would share with other business owners: “Business is ever-changing. Don’t get stagnant with products or customer service, but maintain your core values and brand.”
Vested for Growth: Creating business opportunity through innovative financing. Vested for Growth offers up to $1 million in risk-tolerant capital to fuel expansion of high-growing, high-margin companies. www.VestedforGrowth.com
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