Quick Facts
Biography
Kamran Farid is a Pakistani born, American serial entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist. He is the co-founder of Edible Arrangements, a U.S. based franchising business that specializes in fresh fruit arrangements, melding the concept of fruit baskets with designs inspired by the floral business. He is also the founder of the Kamran Farid Foundation, K Capital Group, and BerryDirect. He currently serves on the Edible Arrangements® Board of Directors, and the Board at Southern Connecticut State University School of Business.
Early life
He was born in Sahiwal, Pakistan before his family emigrated to the United States of America. He has five siblings from his parents Ghulam and Salma Farid most notable among them, Tariq Farid, with whom he co-founded Edible Arrangements with. His family moved from Pakistan to the United States. His father had to work three jobs to make ends meet for the wife and is six children. Challenges increased when he was diagnosed with Leukemia but he was lucky to receive the best health care and was saved.
Entrepreneurship
After designing the computers, training manuals and production and profitability tracking they decided to franchise the concept and since then it has grown to more than 1,100 stores. Edible Arrangements was ranked among the Top 40 by Entrepreneur Magazine in 2013. This is because it had been one of the fastest growing franchises in the US for five consecutive years. It was also named among the Top 100 Internet Retailers in 2015 by the Internet Retailer Magazine.
Philanthropy
Kamran Farid has set up a foundation "Kamran Farid Foundation" that has made a number of donations. He has also donated to a meal program in Branford.
Controversy And Lawsuits
Islamic School Tax Case
In 2014 he sued the town Branford, Connecticut over property taxes assessed on a vacant Islamic school owned by himself and his brother Tariq claiming he the school was tax exempt. The case was settled for approximately half the town's claims.
Terrorism Support Controversy
In 2014, Edible Arrangements faced controversial allegations of supporting the Hamas, Al-Qaeda and Muslim brothers through donations. Kamran and his brother Tariq, denied the allegations. In response the Anti-Defamation League came to their aid by consenting the claims as false.