Edible Brands®, the Atlanta-based portfolio company uniting food, wellness, and celebration brands, has appointed Angela Johnson as Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. This promotion recognizes Johnson’s pivotal contributions since joining the company in 2021 and positions her to drive unified marketing and innovation across a diverse brand family at a time of accelerated growth and consumer evolution.

Company Overview and Portfolio Strength

Edible Brands represents a purpose-driven ecosystem designed to enrich everyday life through memorable food experiences. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company acquires, develops, and manages iconic hospitality and foodservice brands, blending innovative e-commerce with a global network of locally owned stores. Its flagship properties include Edible Arrangements®, renowned for fresh fruit arrangements and celebratory gifting; edibles.com™, offering convenient online edibles; and Rōti® Modern Mediterranean, delivering bold, health-conscious flavors.

Founded on the vision of creator Tariq Farid, who launched Edible Arrangements in 1999, the company has grown into a franchising powerhouse with hundreds of locations worldwide. Under CEO Somia Farid Silber, who assumed leadership in October 2024, Edible Brands has emphasized digital transformation—including one-hour delivery guarantees and partnerships with DoorDash and Uber Eats—alongside next-generation retail concepts. This foundation supports category expansion into nourishment, wellness, and indulgence, meeting modern consumers’ demands for convenience, relevance, and joy.

Johnson’s elevation comes amid a broader executive evolution, including key roles filled by figures like President and Chief Stores Officer Matthew Walls, Chief Digital Officer Erica Randerson, and founder Tariq Farid. The company’s hybrid model—e-commerce agility paired with franchise empowerment—has sustained double-digit growth, even as economic pressures challenge the quick-service restaurant (QSR) sector.

Angela Johnson’s Proven Leadership Journey

Angela Johnson brings a 23-year career blending agency expertise, brand-side innovation, and franchise mastery to her new role. A University of Georgia graduate with a degree in international business (concentrating in marketing and finance), Johnson most recently served as Vice President of Marketing at Krystal Restaurants, LLC. There, she spearheaded growth strategies, launching third-party delivery and online ordering to expand access and convenience. Collaborating with operations and R&D, she drove menu innovation—including the viral Hangover Krystal—that delivered double-digit comparable sales increases.

Joining Edible Brands in 2021 as Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, Johnson shaped the company’s trajectory through category expansion and consumer-centric product development. She led comprehensive training programs enhancing performance from frontline staff to management, while pioneering offerings in fruit arrangements, dipped fruit, bakeshop items, and modern Mediterranean cuisine. Her work secured Edible Brands’ industry leadership, resonating with trends toward health-focused indulgence and seamless omnichannel experiences.

Recognized as a 2025 Georgia Titan 100 honoree, Johnson embodies transformative leadership. Her ability to fuse strategy, innovation, and storytelling has earned accolades, including features in franchise media and podcasts highlighting her customer-first philosophy.

In her expanded CMO role, Johnson oversees marketing and product innovation portfolio-wide. Reporting from Atlanta headquarters, she will integrate brand narratives with execution, bolstering retail/restaurant performance and franchise partner success. Her mandate emphasizes relevance for today’s consumers—those seeking modern, meaningful moments amid busy lives.

Leadership Quotes and Vision Alignment

CEO Somia Farid Silber praised Johnson’s impact: “Angela has been instrumental in shaping how we think about growth, innovation and relevance across our brands. She brings a rare ability to connect strategy, product innovation and brand storytelling in a way that delivers real impact. This expanded role reflects both her proven leadership and our confidence in her ability to bring marketing and innovation together to support continued growth.”

Johnson shared her excitement: “As Edible Brands continues to expand across celebration, nourishment and wellness, this role creates an opportunity to more closely connect brand storytelling with product innovation and execution. I’m excited to build on the strong foundation already in place and work alongside this team to create experiences that feel relevant, modern and meaningful for today’s consumers.“

These statements underscore a unified vision: transforming everyday purchases into elevated experiences, from gifting fruit bouquets for birthdays to fueling wellness with Rōti bowls.

Strategic Priorities Under New CMO Leadership

Johnson inherits a dynamic landscape. Marketing will prioritize:

• Omnichannel Synergy: Amplifying e-commerce (one-hour delivery in 70% of U.S. markets) with immersive Next Gen stores under construction.
• Product Innovation: Expanding dipped fruit, bakeshop delights, and Mediterranean options to capture wellness trends.
• Franchise Empowerment: Training and tools ensuring local owners thrive amid competition from DoorDash-dominated delivery.
• Consumer Relevance: Data-driven campaigns targeting millennials and Gen Z, who blend indulgence with health via social-proof gifting.

Recent wins—like Tajín collaborations and 25-year Edible Arrangements milestones—preview her playbook. Expect heightened digital personalization, influencer partnerships, and loyalty programs tying celebrations to daily nourishment.

Market Context and Growth Opportunities

The $300B+ U.S. QSR and gifting market faces disruption: inflation squeezes wallets, yet premium “affordable treats” thrive. Edible Brands differentiates through fresh, franchise-local authenticity—contrasting cookie-cutter chains. Competitors like 1-800-Flowers or Sweetgreen chase similar spaces, but Edible’s portfolio breadth (gifts + meals) offers unmatched versatility.

Franchising remains core: with 750+ Edible locations globally, expansion targets underserved markets. Johnson’s franchise background positions her to recruit operators drawn to recession-resilient models—gifting surges during holidays, wellness endures year-round.

Challenges include supply chain volatility for perishables and digital ad saturation. Johnson’s Krystal success in delivery pivots suggests resilience, leveraging first-party data for targeted growth.

Broader Industry Impact

This appointment signals Edible Brands’ maturity: from single-store origins to multi-brand powerhouse. Johnson’s dual marketing-innovation oversight mirrors trends at CPG giants like PepsiCo, where CMOs helm portfolios. For franchisors, her training focus sets a benchmark, fostering cultures of excellence.

Public recognition—like Titan 100 and media spots—amplifies talent attraction. As Silber’s team gels, expect bolder plays: potential acquisitions, international pushes, or tech integrations like AR gifting previews.

Conclusion

Angela Johnson’s promotion to Chief Marketing Officer cements Edible Brands’ trajectory as a celebration-wellness innovator. With her track record of sales-driving launches and strategic foresight, Johnson is primed to unify marketing with product evolution, supercharging growth across Edible Arrangements®, edibles.com™, and Rōti®.

In a fragmented foodscape, Edible Brands stands out by making joy accessible—fruit sculptures for anniversaries, bold bowls for lunch rushes. Under Johnson’s leadership, alongside CEO Silber’s vision, the company will deepen consumer connections, empower franchises, and redefine “edible moments.” This isn’t just a hire; it’s a catalyst for sustained dominance in gifting, dining, and beyond.