Young Perth Entrepreneurs Spur Global Company's Expansion in Australia and New Zealand

Oct. 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Christine Hadfield and Carl Herdman, Perth, recognize the value in creating a versatile entrepreneurial venture, now that their baby daughter, Kiala, is part of their family. And they believe so strongly in business ownership, they’ve signed on as Master Franchisors for THE original basket boutique, a global gourmet gift basket company, to introduce it to like-minded would-be entrepreneurs in Australia and New Zealand.

“When we met on vacation several years ago, Carl’s job off-shore on the oil rigs fit in with the adventuresome lifestyle we both pursued. At the same time, I knew I was destined to eventually change my career as a massage therapist in Canada, due to its physical demands,” confides Christine. When a chance encounter led to THE original basket boutique (OBB), the couple knew they’d found a unique concept they could bring to Western Australia. When they found out they were expecting a baby, their decision was affirmed on a whole new level. “We wanted the flexibility: to be professionally engaged, able to parent our daughter hands-on, and create a fun, profitable business that aligned with our lifestyle and ambitions.”

The original basket boutique fit the bill! OBB franchisees provide gourmet gift baskets to businesses looking for unique ways to encourage client relationships and employee retention. Consumers increasingly turn to gift baskets on occasions where they may have purchased flowers in the past: life events to celebrate such as new babies, birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, and to show loving support with get well or bereavement messages. “The best part is making people happy,” says Carl. “They just light up when you deliver their gift, and the sender gets a real kick, too!”

After only a few months, the couple realized there was an additional opportunity beyond their individual franchise. They began exploring options with the franchisors, Zora Brouwer and Patrick Lamoureux, who are based in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, with the idea of spearheading OBB’s growth in the entire region. “We’ve got a very strong presence in North America, and a flagship in the Middle East,” admits Lamoureux, “but we hadn’t found anyone for Australia who was the right fit. We look for creatives with strong family values, corporate ex-pats who’ve been voluntarily or involuntarily downsized, ‘mompreneuers’ who want to contribute to the family income, and folks who are looking to transition into business ownership at an accessible financial threshold. Christine and Carl are admirably suited to help us find them and build our franchise family with kindred spirits.”

Since 1989, THE original basket boutique has been providing personalized gift creations using premium foods and products to satisfy the most discriminating tastes, meeting each client’s exclusive requirements.

# # #

THE original basket boutique has multiple franchises in Canada, the United States, Australia and the Middle East. Franchisees serve business clients and consumers with unique gifts designed using the finest in gourmet foods and specialty items.