From gifting guru to fast casual powerhouse: Edible Brands CEO reveals brand’s evolution

Operations

Somia Farid Silber, CEO of Edible Brands, discusses how the brand is expanding beyond its traditional gifting niche to deliver new experiences for consumers. It recently acquired Roti Modern Mediterranean and enhanced the Edible Arrangements storefront, creating an immersive shopping and dining experience.

November 28, 2025

The lines between restaurant sectors are disappearing, and dining today bears little resemblance to the landscape of just a few years ago. Inflation has reshaped spending habits, making consumers more intentional about where and how they invest in food experiences. To stay relevant, the industry must evolve or risk falling behind. Fast casual is colliding with fine dining; gifting is becoming an everyday lifestyle experience, and convenience has emerged as the new measure of loyalty. In this environment, staying still isn’t an option. The brands that lead will be those bold enough to innovate, adapt, and disrupt their own categories before someone else does.

At Edible Brands, we are embracing this evolution by expanding beyond our traditional gifting niche to deliver new and engaging experiences for consumers. Transforming a legacy brand into a versatile platform company has enabled us to reach entirely new audiences, with our acquisition of Roti Modern Mediterranean marking a strategic entry into the fast-casual space. We’ve also enhanced the Edible Arrangements storefront, creating an immersive shopping and dining experience through our Next Gen prototype. These initiatives go beyond business decisions; they reflect a broader industry transformation. By prioritizing flexibility, convenience, and meaningful consumer connections, we are building loyalty while positioning the brand for sustainable, long-term growth.

Reinventing relevance in a blended marketplace

For decades, the restaurant and retail industries operated within clear boundaries, with predictable consumer behaviors. However, a post-pandemic culture has led to a shift in behaviors, and today those lines are increasingly blurred. Consumers expect brands to meet them on their terms, whether through digital channels, experiential dining, or lifestyle-oriented shopping. Convenience, personalization and emotional connection have become key drivers of loyalty across sectors.

The gifting space is undergoing a major transformation. Consumers are no longer reserving purchases for holidays or birthdays, and “just because” gifting and self-gifting are on the rise. For Edible, this shift inspired a move beyond traditional gifting moments and into everyday occasions, including expanding product offerings. By introducing new categories like baked goods and new price points, we’re tapping into a broader consumer mindset that craves variety driven by broader purchase occasions.

Across the industry, brands that once operated in clearly defined categories are now finding success by expanding their relevance. The key is to evolve alongside consumers – listening, adapting, and experimenting with new formats and channels. Whether through flexible business models, lifestyle extensions, or on-demand experiences, companies that stay curious and forward-thinking will be the ones that continue to thrive.

Redefining the experience economy

We are entering a new era for the restaurant and retail industries, one defined by disruption, consolidation, and reinvention. Economic pressures, expansion opportunities, and rapid technological advancement are driving transformation across every segment, forcing brands to rethink how they operate and engage. As companies build more connected ecosystems around the consumer experience, brand loyalty is evolving from a transactional relationship into something far deeper and more enduring.

At the same time, shifting spending habits are reshaping how consumers interact with brands. Inflation and tariff uncertainty have made budgets tighter, yet consumers continue to invest in products and experiences that reflect their identities and values. Today’s self-care generation prioritizes convenience, personalization, and instant gratification, expecting brands to anticipate their needs and meet them seamlessly, both online and off.

To keep pace, flexible prototypes have become essential. They allow operators to tailor formats, layouts, and service models to local markets and emerging trends without having to compromise in other aspects of the business. At Roti, our prototypes are designed to ensure that each guest experience meets the same quality standard, from ordering format to portion sizes, regardless of the location. In this new landscape, adaptability is no longer optional; it’s the foundation for sustained relevance and growth.

From transactional to transformational convenience

Convenience has evolved from a function to a feeling. Today’s consumers expect food experiences that adapt to their rhythms; celebrations, weeknights, and every moment in between. Speed matters but meaning matters more. Brands that combine immediacy with empathy, and accessibility with authenticity, move beyond transactions to transformation.
From online marketplaces, same-day delivery, and product bundle options, flexibility is key.

But so is the connection. While digital integration keeps a brand competitive, ignoring the emotional side risks eroding loyalty. Brands that are perceived as purely transactional are easily replaceable. The ones that thrive long-term are those that combine functional convenience with meaningful emotional engagement, creating experiences that resonate and build lasting relationships. With the launch of our Edible.com Marketplace, we’ve created a new way for consumers to interact with us, partnering with brands that offer a wide variety of curated gifts to make Edible.com a one-stop gifting shop, combining convenience with connection.

Looking ahead, mergers and acquisitions will continue to reshape the industry, with more brands uniting under platform companies. This evolution not only creates opportunities for innovation and growth but also opens new avenues to meet evolving consumer needs. By focusing on immediacy, accessibility, and relevance, businesses can capture the attention of modern consumers, strengthen loyalty, and build resilient models that thrive in today’s fast-moving, experience-driven marketplace.