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Premium Fresh Fruit Gifts |
| Fresh fruit gift packs from California. Bouquet of Fruits (R) features the finest fresh fruit gifts that can be previewed in our on-line gift catalogs. There are many gift assortments of fresh fruit and unlimited combinations that include nuts, chocolates, dried fruit and gourmet food items to make the perfect holiday or special occasion gift. Browse our many fresh fruit gift catalogs with assortments of baskets and crates to fit any gift theme or corporate gifts you may require. |
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About Us
Bouquet of Fruits has provided California's finest produce to customers around the World since 1987,
continuing a family tradition that started with the Paul family migrating from Armenia.Fresh fruit gift
packs from California. Bouquet of Fruits (R) features the finest fresh fruit gifts that can be previewed
in our on-line gift catalogs. There are many gift assortments of fresh fruit and unlimited combinations
that include nuts, chocolates, dried fruit and gourmet food items to make the perfect holiday or special
occasion gift. Browse our many fresh fruit gift catalogs with assortments of baskets and crates to fit any
gift theme or corporate gifts you may require.
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Bouquet of Fruits has provided California's finest produce to customers around the World since 1987,
continuing a family tradition that started with the Paul family migrating from Armenia.
Israel Paul and his wife Burtha arrived in the United States in 1904 with 5 children, Beatrice, Blanch,
Arax, Paul and Nora. In addition to their shoe repair business, they bought a 35 acre ranch in Fresno,
California and began farming fresh apricots, nectarines and grapes. The Paul family quickly went from shoe repair to farming
full time. After coming to America, Israel and Burtha had three more children, Agnes, Kay and Gladys. In
1942 Israel and Burtha sold the farm, and retired in-town for the remainder of their years.
His oldest son
(my grandfather) Paul would be called an entrepreneur by today's standards. From the 1920's through the
1960's, Paul was an amateur wrestler, a band leader for The Fresno Municipal Band, a top salesman for
State Life of Indiana, co-founder of The California Armenian Old Age Home, a Director to The Fresno Fair,
and a Farmer. Paul had 3 children, Don from his first marriage, and Ron and Bob from his second marriage.
Paul bought his own 40 acre pasture in 1939. He started by growing watermelons, then diversified to raising
Arabian Horses and Gurnsey Dairy Cows. When his father sold the original ranch In 1942, Paul bought 80
acres with a house. He added tree fruit to the operation, growing the Paul Farm to 120 acres.
By the late
1940's, The Paul family created their first label that was used on their table grapes. That label was
called "Touchdown", it was inspired by Don's professional football fame, playing for the Los Angeles Rams
from 1948 to 1955. Ron and Bob continued in the family farming tradition by helping their father start
Pipco Fruit Company (Paul Israel Paul Company). This began a new age in farming for the Paul family. With
the focus shifting from dairy to tree fruit, the Pauls opened their first packing shed in 1952 under the
Pipco Fruit Company label.
From the 50's to the early 60's, the Fresno operation grew to just under 400
acres, and a new packing facility was built. From the mid 60's to mid 70's the farming operation expanded
north to Madera County, growing to 1600 acres. Pipco purchased grain land and developed it for farming
tree fruit, table grapes, wine grapes, almonds, and citrus.
Soon after the death of Paul Paul in 1979,
Pipco Fruit Company was divided among the two brothers involved in the family farm. The Pipco name stayed
with Ron, his wife Angie and their three boys Ron Jr, Brian and Steve. The smaller Pipco Fruit Company
refocused on specialty crops, leading the industry in marketing high quality fruit. From 1985 through 1991
Pipco Fruit Company transformed into a modern farming operation. Brian and Steve were involved in the day
to day operations of the farm, in and out of the fields and packing operation.
Steve saw an opportunity to
market the unique fresh fruits that PIPCO grew directly to the consumer. When he married his wife Gina in
1987, they started Bouquet of Fruits. Gina had a retail management background, and artistic design skills.
Steve had experience administrating a large operation and a desire to do innovative marketing. Together
they began selling fruit baskets by catalog, right from the Pipco Ranch House.
By 1988, Bouquet of Fruits
opened it's first retail location in the Sierra Vista Mall in Clovis, California. They moved the production
off the dining room table and into a warehouse. The Sierra Vista Location did well during the holidays.
The seasonality of a fruit gift business, prompted us to develop a theme gift gourmet store, keeping
fresh fruits at it's core. This retail location is still open today in The Pavilion West Shopping Center,
in North-West Fresno.
1994 was a busy year for the growth of Bouquet of Fruits. A new location was opened
at the Fresno Air Terminal, marketing California produce to the visitors coming and going. Also Bouquet
of Fruits went on the Internet with it's first 4 web pages, showing images of products and an 800 number
to call and order.
From 1995 to 1999 Steve and Gina spent all their productive energy growing the Bouquet
of Fruits business. By using a printed catalog and the website, they pushed sales through the 800 number.
Production was handled through their 1200 square foot warehouse until 1997 when seeing a sizable growth in
sales, Bouquet of Fruits moved to a larger facility.
The Paul Family has always embraced new innovations.
In 1999 Bouquet of Fruits focused on the Internet as the new medium for growing the business. A shopping
cart was deployed, web development was moved in-house, the warehouse was moved to a new building with
office space; This move centralized, administration, IT, production and warehousing into a single
Fulfillment Center. A comprehensive marketing plan was developed to utilize already established Internet
companies with existing customer base to promote the bounty of The San Joaquin Valley's vast agricultural
products.
Bouquet of Fruits is now operating out of it's expanded Fulfillment Center and Factory, providing
California's finest in Value added, gourmet gifts locally and nation wide. We are committed to making
your experience on our website and in our stores more convenient and satisfying than ever before.
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