Harry and David, LLC (Harry and David) is an American-based premium food and gift producer and retailer. The company sells its products through direct mail, online, corporate gifting, and in their flagship location in Medford, Oregon, and operates the brands Harry & David, Wolferman's, and Vital Choice.
Harry & David was founded in 1910 by Samuel Rosenberg as Bear Creek Orchards in Medford as a premium fruit company.
As of 2014, it has been owned by 1-800-Flowers.com.
History
Bear Creek Orchards
The company first began operations in 1910, when Samuel Rosenberg purchased Comice pear orchards in Southern Oregon after encountering the orchard's pears at the previous year's Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition. Located in Medford, Oregon, the pear orchards themselves dated from 1885, and were named Bear Creek Orchards after Bear Creek, which ran through the property.
In 1914, Rosenberg's sons Harry and David Rosenberg took over the management of the property, after their father's death and the completion of their agricultural degrees at Cornell University. Following David Holmes Sr.'s death in 1950, the company was handed down to his son, David H. Holmes Jr., who served as president of Harry & David from 1955 to 1970. Harry Holmes died in 1959. During the 1990s, Harry & David expanded its retail locations, opening more than 119 stores. Bear Creek Corporation launched its website in 1996 to sell all of its product lines, including Harry & David.
In June 2004, approximately 97%<!--WP:CALC--> ownership of Harry & David was acquired by two investment firms in the United States: Wasserstein & Co. of New York, which purchased 63% of the company's stock; and Highfields Capital Management of Boston, which acquired 34%. In 2007, Harry & David sold the rose business Jackson & Perkins, to focus solely on its gift and premium food business.
After the private-equity buyout in 2004, and the efforts at diversification through acquisitions, the financial downturn of the late 2000s hurt Harry & David's revenues and sales. The company's debt from its 2004 acquisition was part of the reason the recession hurt the company. In March 2011, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company emerged from bankruptcy in September 2011. Following its exit from bankruptcy, Harry & David increased its profitability and revenue and, in September 2012, was named the "large company turnaround of the year" by the Turnaround Management Association.
In November 2012, the company established a winery using Oregon grapes; the white and red wines were developed in partnership with a local winemaker. The company began selling its winery wines through its website that same year. Harry & David was sold in August 2014 to internet retailer 1-800-Flowers for $142.5 million. Harry & David is a wholly owned subsidiary of 1-800-Flowers.com Inc. and Harry & David Operations, Inc. The company's CEO from October 2011 through February 2015 was Craig Johnson.) became CEO of Harry & David in March 2015.
Operations
thumb|right|Harry & David's Medford store
Harry & David produces and sells premium food and gifts under three brands: Harry & David; Wolferman's; and Stockyards. Harry & David's product lines include gift baskets, flowers and plants, fresh fruit, chocolate and sweets, and wine. In addition to selling online and through mail order,
Harry & David is headquartered in Medford, Oregon, where as of 2015 the company is the Rogue Valley's largest non-medical employer. As of 2007, the company operated 2,000 acres of orchards, manufacturing facilities and a distribution center in Medford. In 1997, Harry & David opened a second office in Hebron, Ohio, called the Hopewell Campus, which handles distribution. The company employed more than 8,000 employees in 2013, including temporary seasonal workers.