Fruit Delivery in America

It is impossible to say with any degree of certainty just how large the fruit delivery industry is in United States. Tens of thousands of suppliers sell their fruit to supermarkets, businesses, and individual consumers each year. Their most popular products include fruit baskets, fruit trays, and fruitcakes.

The fruit delivery industry started shipping fruit to private citizens during the 1940s. American business was on the move and executives needed a simple and appealing gift to ship to clients and colleagues during the holidays. At the time, the only gift that was sent through the mail with any regularity was flowers. But flowers were clearly inappropriate.

We don’t know who actually invented it, but the first fruit baskets were offered by florists shortly after the World War II. Because of their size, the delivery costs were prohibitive. This was before affordable package delivery companies like Fed Ex and UPS started shipping perishable items. As a result, the average fruit basket was too expensive for the average consumer. They were only popular in the business community.

When shipping costs came down in later years, fruit baskets became a top holiday gift. Families could send them to friends and relatives in other states as a sort of omnibus gift that could be enjoyed by the whole household.

In recent years, thousands of fruit delivery companies have taken their act online. No longer do they require expensive brick and mortar stores, now they can sell their wares to out-of-state customers with the help of the internet. Just as florists have benefited from online marketing and sales, fruit delivery firms have cut costs and overhead to the bone.

Many people wonder why anyone would buy a fruit basket when there is a supermarket right down the road. This was a perfectly logical query about fifteen years ago. At that time fruit baskets and trays were still quite expensive. But as we mentioned, the internet has cut costs so substantially that it would be just as expensive, maybe even more expensive to assemble all the fruit and ship it on your own. We must also consider that fact that not all fruits are available in all states.

Florida is the heart of the citrus industry in the United States. They produce over seventy percent of the country’s oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, and tangerines. Because many citrus varieties are quite rare, they are not shipped out of state.

For example, you will not find Honeybell oranges at your local supermarket if you do not reside in Florida. The only way to get your hands on these sought after varieties of citrus is to order them directly from a fruit delivery company in the Sunshine State.

Taste the Sunshine with Hale Groves

At Hale Groves, we believe the best gifts come from the land, not a factory. For generations, our fruit has been grown slowly under the Florida sun, picked at its peak, and delivered fresh to your door. From sweet Navel Oranges to rare Honeybells, every gift shares the simple joy of real flavor—perfect for holidays, milestones, or everyday moments worth celebrating.

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