Send Mail Order Fruit Today

Mail order fruit baskets first became popular in the 1940s. Urban areas were growing in America and many businesses were forced to relocate to the cities. Huge business districts were established in every major metropolis. In time, these companies began to work with each other. Some even established close working relationships.

When the first fruit basket was ordered is anybody’s guess. But it was most likely sent as a simple thank-you gift. Perhaps one boss wanted to thank another boss for helping his company close a key account. Or maybe it was shipped during the holidays. Whatever the reason, the sender must have carefully considered what gift to ship.

At the time, the most popular thank-you gift to send through the mail was a nice bouquet of flowers. But flowers are not appropriate gift to send a business partner or a client. Not unless a member of his family had passed on, heaven forbid! So, he must have wondered what to send.

Whether they were responding to a growing demand for corporate gifts or they simply thought it up on their own, the first shops to ship mail order fruit baskets were flower shops. Florist procured the fruits from local fruit stands and markets and arranged them in sturdy wicker baskets. They then used the same cellophane they used for their flowers to wrap the basket.

Since most of their clients were in the neighborhood, they had delivery boy cart them off. But as the demand for mail order fruit baskets increased, they started to ship them through the mail. Delivery charges were often quite high before private package delivery companies like UPS and FED EX came on the scene.

Who sent them and why? In the beginning, mail order fruit baskets were often exchanged by bosses and executives. Then some generous soul decided to share a basket with his staff. From that moment on fruit baskets became an office favorite. As a result, more and more companies started sending them during the holidays. The baskets also got a lot bigger. The average mail order fruit basket of today is designed to feed at least a dozen hungry people.

What do they include? When they were first shipped, florists packed their baskets with the most popular fruits of the day. This often meant apples, oranges, peaches, and pears. Today, there are hundreds of different varieties of baskets, many of which are based on a theme. There are holiday baskets, birthday baskets, thank-you baskets, even gourmet baskets.

Shoppers are also free to customize their baskets and include more exotic fruits like pineapples, figs, mangos, and kiwis. Some of the more expensive gourmet baskets even come with bottles of white wine, champagne, and cheese. In short, there’s a fruit basket for almost any occasion.

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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