The Peach Truck is on a roll.
The direct-to-consumer fresh peach seller is currently embarking on The Peach Truck Tour until August. Stops in 25 states are planned to introduce their fresh product beyond the local market.
Founders Stephen and Jessica Rose are also hosting Peach Week July 25-31 to recognize 10 years in business and over 100 million peaches sold. Anyone is welcome to taste peach dishes from over 20 food vendors during the celebration period. A party at imogene + willie in 12 South will be held on July 31 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The brand has also announced it has entered an investment partnership with International Farming. Although The Peach Truck has launched a successful home delivery service with booths at more than 60 Nashville locations, the business aims to grow even more on a larger national scale.
The Tennessean spoke with the Roses and Charlie McNairy, CEO of International Farming, about The Peach Truck working together with the institutional investment manager.
Why did you choose to partner with International Farming?
Stephen and Jessica Rose: We knew early on that a partnership with International Farming was a great fit when we saw their passion for and in-depth understanding of the agricultural world. Their mission to change the world’s access to fresh produce perfectly aligns with our desire to bring the best from Mother Nature right to our community. It’s a wonderful partnership because they want to provide the access, and we can provide the last leg of that – getting incredibly fresh produce directly into the consumer’s hands.
Why did you choose to partner with The Peach Truck?
Charlie McNairy: Stephen and Jessica have built a phenomenal business based on an innate understanding of the importance of quality, connection, and taste. They are first class people, and we could not be more excited to grow our businesses together.
Furthermore, The Peach Truck stood out to us as a company that has built strong, direct connections with their customers. The Peach Truck has an unmatched ability to provide food directly from the farm to consumers and are proving that people enjoy having a connection to their food.
Customers of The Peach Truck have recognized the incredible difference in taste that comes with fresh produce picked a day or two before it’s in their hands.
What have been some of your most memorable successes during your 10 years of business?
Roses: When we started 10 years ago, we were only selling peaches at local stands in Nashville. One of our most memorable successes has been taking the leap of faith to take The Peach Truck out on tour around the nation. Scaling from one truck in one city to semi trucks in hundreds of cities in nearly 30 states has been a huge achievement for us. There’s nothing like the experience of bringing joy to thousands of people around the country each summer. It’s something we don’t take for granted and we’re incredibly appreciative of our community for coming to see us out on tour year after year.
What does International Farming hope to achieve during its partnership with The Peach Truck?
McNairy: We are extremely excited about delivering high quality produce directly from our farmers to consumers who want great-tasting produce. Our farmers get a chance to have their fruit placed in consumer hands more quickly with less handling. This means better taste. Consumers have the chance to enjoy higher quality, fresher produce. It’s a win-win for everyone.
What are you most looking forward to as you begin your partnership with International Farming?
Roses: We’re excited at the opportunity this partnership brings to The Peach Truck as we continue working towards our mission to fundamentally change how people eat fresh produce. We want everyone to have access to the freshest foods so they can eat with the seasons. Our current infrastructure can only take that so far, and we’re optimistic this partnership will enable us to take this gift of eating fresh from Mother Nature all across the country.
Furthermore, The Peach Truck stood out to us as a company that has built strong, direct connections with their customers. The Peach Truck has an unmatched ability to provide food directly from the farm to consumers and are proving that people enjoy having a connection to their food.
Customers of The Peach Truck have recognized the incredible difference in taste that comes with fresh produce picked a day or two before it’s in their hands.
What are you most looking forward to as you begin your partnership with The Peach Truck?
McNairy: We look forward to providing technology solutions which will further enhance education, communication and the overall eating experience. By leveraging our partnerships with companies such as CropTrak, we will be able to trace food back to the trees or vines it grew on. In addition to the many benefits this technology provides in terms of quality control, it also facilitates connection and storytelling.
We’re also excited about offering additional fresh fruit directly to consumers. IFC and its growers farm over 70 crops. By joining forces with The Peach Truck, we are now able to provide customers with the freshest, most delicious produce – often picked only days before – while at the same time supporting the farmers who worked so hard to grow it. We have a vast variety of quality fruit ready to delight and Jessica and Stephen have amazing ideas around how to deliver the very best to their customers.
We believe that when people know exactly where their food comes from and can put a face to the farmer that produced it, they feel more nourished and are reminded of their interconnectedness with the earth. With our mission of growing quality food that is accessible and affordable and TPT’s mission to Deliver Joy to its customers, we could not be more excited to be working together in a truly symbiotic partnership.
Article Source: The Tennessean