Country Roads Magazine "Our Natural World" June 2022

When Stephen Rose moved to Nashville with his wife Jessica, he immediately knew something was missing. Growing up in Fort Valley, Georgia, he said,“peaches are a way of life.” And the ones at the grocery store were not cutting it.

So, on their next visit back to Georgia, the couple loaded down their ‘64 Gladiator with the delicious gold, and brought them back to Nashville to share with friends and neighbors. Ten years later, “The Peach Truck” is now a nationally touring endeavor, which delivers fresh-from-the-tree Georgia and South Carolina peaches to homes all across the country. We reached out to Stephen and Jessica just ahead of the Truck's visit to Louisiana, to learn more about their journey.

Where are you guys originally from?

Stephen: Fort Valley, GA Jessica: Seattle, WA

You grew up eating locally-grown peaches?

Stephen: Absolutely, every summer of my childhood in Fort Valley is imprinted with memories of peaches grown in the orchards all around me. Peaches are a way of life in that area, every major peach farm is right there in a little town. It’s no wonder the county is named Peach County, Georgia! Many of our family friends were farmers that grew peaches so it was very common to have a box of peaches dropped off on the porch from the farm nearby. It was that childhood experience of fresh, local peaches that drew me back after moving to Nashville.

What makes the peach a special fruit for you guys?

Jessica: I had never experienced the joy of a fresh Southern peach hours off the tree until Stephen brought me to the farm in Fort Valley while we were dating. I instantly understood what he’d been talking about and why he was so passionate about the peaches of his childhood. Peaches hold a special place in our family, that connection to past, present and future.

Stephen: Not only are peaches special to me as a nostalgic childhood memory, but equally so as an adult. I quickly learned after moving away from my hometown to Nashville that a fresh summer peach is nearly impossible to find outside Peach County. To so many people around the country, a fresh peach is a rare gem that everyone appreciates and looks forward to year-round. To this day, I still find myself counting down the days until peach season, there’s truly no other fruit like it!

Tell me about the Gladiator! What is the story there?

Stephen: A year before The Peach Truck had even come into existence, I needed a new vehicle and really wanted something fun like a Jeep. I came across a guy selling a ‘64 Gladiator but couldn’t afford the price he was asking for it. After talking with him a bit, he made the unlikeliest of agreements to straight up trade me the Gladiator in exchange for my ‘95 Thunderbird! We had no idea at the time but that truck became The Peach Truck and it’s still an icon for our brand that is seen as our mascot.

Tell me about the first time you guys loaded up the Gladiator with peaches as a means to share them with other folks?

Stephen: Initially we brought peaches from back home to our Nashville friends and quickly knew by their reactions and demands for more that we needed to bring this quintessential summer experience to the rest of our community. We first started selling peaches out of the Gladiator outside of a denim shop in Nashville, imogene + willie. We ended up selling ten tons of peaches that first summer in just a few weeks and knew we were on to something special.

What were people’s responses?

The response was overwhelming! We could barely keep up with demand and we were absolutely struck at how personal people were with their peaches. We started hearing so many touching personal stories of people reminiscing on their own childhood memories of summer peaches. Peaches are symbolic of summer and we quickly discovered that there are so many sweet family traditions to celebrate the season and create lasting memories.

When did you decide to start doing this on a larger scale?

We knew early on that we wanted to bring the fresh peach experience of The Peach Truck beyond Nashville. Seeing the sheer joy and excitement our Nashville customers had for our peaches made us realize we could deliver that joy to so many more people throughout the nation.

You’ve been in business for ten years now—could you describe some of your favorite experiences along the journey?

We’ve had so many amazing experiences meeting our community around the nation! From our long-time, loyal customers in Nashville that come out to see us every summer, to the thousands of people we’ve met out on our tour. Another fun experience we’ve had over the years is partnering with our friends at other brands. For example, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream has a Sweet Cream Biscuits & Peach Jam ice cream flavor that incorporates our peach jam and is out of this world delicious. Peaches pair so well with all sorts of food and drinks so we’re able to work with friends often.

Can you describe what sets your peaches apart from those that people purchase at the grocery store?

The biggest differentiator about The Peach Truck peaches is freshness. Our peaches are hand-picked when they’re perfectly tree-ripened, then packed and shipped to the customer the very same day. Contrast this with grocery store peaches that are picked too early and sit in cold storage coolers waiting to be put out on the produce shelf. There’s no denying the delicious difference of eating a fresh, juicy peach within days of picking it.

Can you tell me about your commitment to work with growers who are practicing sustainable farming techniques?

Our dedicated and passionate growers work continuously toward sustainable, eco-conscious farming techniques that will keep producing the very best fruits today and for years to come. We partner directly with GAP or PRIMUS certified hometown farms in the USA where the farmland is cared for just as much as the produce.

This year, The Peach Truck will be making their way to Louisiana this summer, hitting Lake Charles, Lafayette, Gonzales, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs, Kenner, Metairie, and New Orleans along the way. So, mark your calendars for July 5 and 6—and visit thepeachtruck.com to find your pickup location. You can also place an order for home delivery at the website.