The Story Behind the Founders of Harry & David

If you’ve been a longtime fan of Royal Riviera® Pears, Moose Munch® Premium Popcorn, or even the Pacific Northwest, you may have wondered who Harry and David are. The answer is at the core of our company — two brothers with a passion for agriculture and innovation, who never gave up on their vision despite hardships and setbacks that came their way.

David and Harry Holmes worked together for their entire careers, building their company from the ground up. Each brother had talents that complemented the other: Harry was a down-to-earth businessman and David was fun-loving and creative, coming up with iconic products like the first Tower of Treats® Gift and the Fruit-of-the-Month Club® collection.

Who are Harry and David?

It all started when their father, Samuel Rosenberg, purchased 240 acres of prime farmland in the Rogue Valley of Southern Oregon. Harry and David had both studied agricultural science at Cornell University, and they applied their knowledge and green thumbs to those orchards with incredible results.

After cultivating the now-beloved Royal Riviera® Pear, the brothers successfully marketed this wonderful fruit to high-end sellers across the United States and Europe in the 1920s. Unfortunately, the stock market crash of 1930 and the Great Depression hit the business hard. However, the brothers did not let that keep them down. During what he thought was a fruitless trip to New York trying to introduce the city’s movers and shakers to their pears, Harry came up with an idea. He sent boxes of the pears to New York’s captains of industry, along with letters encouraging them to sample the fruit and then send a box as a gift to friends, colleagues, and clients. This move changed everything—Harry & David evolved from being a fruit company to an iconic gift company.

The brothers continued to run the company until they each retired in the 1950s, passing the day-to-day operations to their respective sons. Their sons ran the company capably for many years, continuing to grow and develop what Harry and David started all those years ago.

1-800-Flowers.com and the future

In 2014, Harry & David joined the 1-800-Flowers.com family of brands. 1-800-Flowers.com was a great fit for Harry & David, as both brands are known for excellence and creativity in delivering smiles across the country. With a joint mission in mind, both companies have continued in their pursuits of helping people make all of life’s moments special.