It takes a creative mind to turn random pieces of fresh fruit into a flower-like arrangement. Ann Marie Bradley has mastered turning strawberries, pineapples, grapes and other fruits into handcrafted bouquets.
She described it as a labour of love and seeing smiles on her customers' faces is most pleasing. After spending close to 25 years in IT, she had to decide on a pastime for her retirement and after searching the Internet, she decided to use her creative flare to get into edible arrangements.
In November last year she opened Incredibly Edible on Saddle Road, Maraval, and never looked back. "The response has been overwhelming," she said in an interview at her store on Wednesday.
It's a make-to-order shop so orders have to be placed in advance, she said. The bouquets also have to be eaten within a certain time because fruits are perishable items. Bouquets like All Wrapped Up, Strawberry Kiwi Perfection, Melon Mania, Berrydelicious and Blissfulbloom are some of her offerings.
Bradley's customers are mainly from the East and West and come from the corporate sector. As she spoke she put shapes on the pineapples and dried some strawberries which were later hand-dipped into warm chocolate and topped with shredded coconut.
"We started just in time for Christmas last year and we didn't anticipate there was going to be such a demand. "We had a lot of corporate accounts ordering arrangements as gifts so our ordering started two weeks before Christmas."
The preparation time also involves a lot of patience, cutting a fruit that might be spoilt or burning chocolate are some of the challenges. Bradley spent two weeks in Tampa where she trained and eagerly returned home to start up her small business.
Now, less than a year later her business is doing well and she is enjoying her retirement. She plans to relocate to the Shoppes of Maraval where the shop will be bigger and provide more options.
Bradley is already working on a cafe setting where customers can enjoy smoothies, cakes, coffee and fruit drinks. Her major venture in the new year is to provide training for those wishing to broaden their horizons and also cater to the needs of customers in other areas.
She said, "I am creative and I like unique products. "It is such a novel idea and so interesting. When we deliver to customers we put smiles on their faces and that brings me satisfaction."
For more info: 629-0243, 680-1908, or on Facebook-Incredibly Edible Arrangements