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New Orleans · United States

French Truck Coffee

Since 2012 · Geoffrey Meeker, Bobby Winston

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Overview

French Truck was founded in April 2012 by New England Culinary Institute alum Geoffrey Meeker, who started microroasting on a 5-kilo Ambex in his Carrollton laundry room after an 'epiphany' tasting a fresh-roasted Mexican Blue Bottle bag from his Bay Area cousin. Bobby Winston joined as Employee #1 and later became co-owner and CEO; the company's namesake yellow 1975 Citroën 2CV Truckette nicknamed 'Roaring Chicken' delivered the early bags around the city.

Known for

  • First specialty microroaster in New Orleans
  • Roasted-to-order model
  • Iconic yellow Citroën 2CV delivery truck
  • Tailor-made roasteries in three Southern cities
  • Culinary background driving cafe-as-restaurant approach

Why it matters

French Truck is the third-wave anchor of a city historically dominated by chicory-laced dark cafe au lait — and a rare U.S. example of a chef-led specialty roaster that built scale across the South while keeping every cup roasted-to-order.

Production

destoning
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head roaster
Bobby Winston (also Green Buyer)
color sorting
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roaster machine
Started on 5kg Ambex in 2012; now operates dedicated roasteries in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Memphis
filter equipment
Hario V60 (with Marco under-counter hot water towers)
cupping frequency
null
roastery location
Lower Garden District, New Orleans (corner of Magazine and Erato)
espresso equipment
La Marzocco GB5
annual volume tonnes
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Café

1200 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

Recognitions

  • Fortune Magazine top 10 fastest-growing inner city businesses in America

Sources

More roasters