Brunch bonanza: Donald Jones delivers a taste of New York to an upscale Atlanta audience

Black Enterprise, June, 1995 by Arletha Vickers Allen

Since 1989, Donald Jones has been wooing upscale Atlanta customers with his New York cosmopolitan flair. Every morning, the owner of the New York Brunch Basket delivers handcrafted baskets filled with an assortment of pastries, fresh-squeezed juice and a unique touch: The day's New York Times is tucked neatly inside.

Decorated with fresh flowers or balloon bouquets and personally delivered by smartly groomed couriers, the New York Brunch Baskets are a hit in Atlanta: Jones' discriminating market niche generated $275,000 in sales last year.

Entrepreneurs don't always size up their market before going into business. But Jones, a former retail specialty marketing expert for the Atlanta Hawks and the Neiman-Marcus executive training program, did his homework. He conducted a market survey that showed that brunch was becoming more popular in Atlanta.

"Businesspeople were quick to recognize the impact of the Brunch Basket as a brand new marketing tool--a new way to open a door, close a deal or make a business meeting a little more appealing," says the 40-year-old Jones. Such corporate accounts as H.J. Russell & Co., G.E. Capital, Olsten Temporaries and the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games have used Jones' services.

An initial investment of $5,000, which came from personal savings and family, helped Jones finance enough inventory to get the business going and keep his overhead low. At first, New York Brunch Basket was a weekend delivery service. But it quickly grew into a seven-days-a-week operation. The company has even begun to ship outside of the Atlanta area.

It comes as no surprise that much of the company's success is attributed to Jones' flair for marketing. During the first year of business, Jones made significant use of a free advertising campaign called "Brunch for the Boss," which aired on the early morning show of Atlanta's top radio station. Listeners sent in letters about why their boss was so great. Each morning for a week, one letter was read over the air and, in turn, that person's boss received a gift from New York Brunch Basket.

In addition to Brunch Baskets, Jones offers Brunch Buffets--delicious repasts delivered with fresh flowers. New York Brunch Baskets range from $37.50 to $100, and the Brunch Buffets start at $50.

One challenge of running the business, says Jones, is delivering the baskets on time. On holidays and other special occasions, Jones has hired some 80 couriers to assist his full-time staff of three. On average, the company handles 350 deliveries per month.

Jones is planning to expand the business into Orlando, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. "In second-tier cities that are growing," he says, "there are big markets where the people appreciate the New York touch."

New York Brunch Basket, P.O. Box 7213, Atlanta, GA 30357-0213; 404-872-1322