In the summer of 2009 J.W. Oliphant & Associates, as part of their ongoing business development responsibilities for Cushman’s Fruit Company at QVC, set out to create the “Honeybell Hero” key item and concept for the fast approaching 2010 season. The famous Cushman Flight Pack was the result of yet another exciting collaboration between J.W. Oliphant & Associates and Cushman’s Fruit Company.

As the story goes...

A long time ago, in around 1975, before computers, the internet, email and even fax machines, the Cushman family relied on a business model that was very simple. You see, down here in south Florida so many folks would come each year to visit on vacation. Many would come to the Cushman store on Forest Hill Blvd., not far from the International airport, and ask for a box of fruit to take back home with them. Of course, in January fruit really meant Honeybells! So, the Cushman family happily obliged and filled up any available box that they had laying around, weighed it, gratefully accepted their customer’s payment and wished them a good trip home...  

This was a pretty good business model, one that could be counted on year after year. Now the Cushman’s were never satisfied with "pretty good" so they got to thinkin' in about 1975 that they could do a couple of things to make buying the Cushman fruit and their beloved Honeybells easier for their faithful customers. The first thing they did was setup a fruit stand of sorts right there at the International airport in West Palm Beach. You see people were flying now more and more. With a stand right there at the airport their customers were sure not to forget them before they left and would find it much easier to carry their box of fruit right onto the airplane with them.  

Genius!

Well that wasn't all. Allen and his team designed a box with a carry handle!.. That's right they went to their local box guy and asked him to create a box that could hold 14 lbs of their precious Honeybells and they insisted that this box have a carry handle and that it would fit easily in the overhead storage compartment and under the seat in any commercial airplane! Pretty soon, this special box became known as the Cushman Flight Pack. Sure enough the Cushman Flight Pack loaded with Honeybells straight from the groves was a big hit... and for many, many years.

But just like anything else, times changed and for some reason or another around 1985 the family was no longer operating an airport fruit stand and eventually stopped offering the celebrated Cushman Flight Pack.  Allen and the gang started creating all sorts of other boxes for their delicious and fresh fruits. Catalogs, websites and all kinds of new technologies kept the family busy and connected to their loving customers.

Well its 2010 and the Cushman family is very pleased to be re-introducing their most famous box of Honeybells ever just for their loyal QVC customers. The box is exactly the same as it was when they created it in 1975... they’ve added a few historical pictures and will fill it with their very best Honeybells just for you, your family and your friends.... You’ll have 3 ticketing options for your flight: Cabin Class (7 lb), Business Class (14 lbs) or First Class (21 lbs).

When your Cushman Flight Pack arrives to your home Allen, Sharon, Michael, John and Ann hope you'll recall the fond memories you might have of time spent in south Florida or harken back to a time when you may have been the honored recipient of a Cushman Flight Pack. Whatever your recollection of this famous Florida "takeaway" Cushman's is proud to know they are starting new memories with the very same time honored values they’ve been putting into every box of fruit for over 60 years.

- Jeff