Peaches & Greens truck peddles fresh produce to neighborhoods without a grocery store

**Kathleen** · September-03-09, 07:49 PM

Tonight's NBC Nightly News ran a piece on Peaches & Greens, a produce truck that peddles fresh fruits and vegetables to Detroit's low-income neighborhoods without access to a grocery store or farmer's market.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032619/#32681369

A little digging cam up with this August 11 Associated Press piece....
Detroit tries peddling produce like ice cream: Produce truck serves a community with no easy access to fresh food
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32371552...and_nutrition/

Anyone hear about this?

**401don** · September-03-09, 08:20 PM

Actually, it was the closing segment for both NBC and CBS evening news tonight. First time I've seen both programs close with the same story. It was a positive story, although the lady selling the produce said how good she felt selling a kid an apple for 50 cents instead of junk food. 50 cents for an apple?

**Lowell** · September-03-09, 10:05 PM

I caught that too. Very nice segment. I liked how Peaches and Greens was penetrating party stores with their fresh food. And 50 cents an apple is not a bad deal when one considers that amount buys only half a tooth-decaying candy bar or obesity-enhancing slider. Best of all it was refreshing to hear to a national media story about Detroit without somebody getting killed or grinding on about how awful the economy here is.

**tkierpiec** · September-03-09, 10:17 PM

I've just recently noticed the Peaches & Green store on 3rd St - was wondering about what kind of place they were [[other than the obvious!) - I think this is a great idea! God knows the ice cream truck is constantly in my neighborhood - I'd much rather see these people driving through. I'd definitely buy something.

**kathy2trips** · September-03-09, 11:39 PM

Hooray for small businesses! I tell you, if small business owners were to get a break from the City and the State, they could save not only Detroit, but Michigan was well. Even Ford Motor Company was a small business once. BTW: You can bet that if anything happened to the drivers, people would be mad and turn them in. I can see where they wouldn't want to see their access to fresh produce disappear.

**kville** · September-04-09, 04:23 AM

I remember produce trucks coming down our street all summer when I was a kid. It's great to see this happening again.

And of course, someone here had to put the typical negative spin on this otherwise positive thread by talking about the truck probably getting robbed - and it only took 3 postings from the top. Thanks diver.

**Kathleen** · September-04-09, 05:24 AM

Still surprised that we didn't pick up on this story sooner...I guess some stories have to percolate a bit....

Model D reported on it back in late June:
Peaches & Greens, new produce market, to feature locally grown goods and delivery service
http://www.modeldmedia.com/developme...ches14908.aspx

It's sponsored by the Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation. There's both a store and a truck. And they grow their own produce.
http://www.centraldetroitchristian.o...ens_Market.htm

A real community effort that's been a while in the making...
http://partonponderings.blogspot.com...es-greens.html

**PlymouthRes** · September-04-09, 06:45 AM

Kinda funny how this is somehow big news. Street vendors selling vegetables on the city streets of Detropt has been an age old tradition for half a century or more. Cub and his garden have been doing this for two years now.

The only difference is that the Garden gives out the vegetables grown rather than selling them.

**fryar** · June-09-10, 10:42 AM

Once again I'm late to the party!

Originally Posted by Pam

http://www.centraldetroitchristian.o...eens_Truck.htm

Their web site references two ZIP codes that are serviced, 48202 and 48206. A quick look at Google Maps suggests the neighborhood is bracketed by the Lodge, I-75, I-94, and the Davison. Does anybody know more about what these guys are doing, and if it's perhaps easily scaleable to other neighborhoods and cities?

After all, the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved urban areas is still a national issue. I am not what most folks consider underserved, and I know I struggle with that can of Chef Boyardee Beefaroni smiling at me from the shelf, mmh, dump in a bunch of Kraft Parmesan, oh boy, here comes the salt! I for one could also stand to have an ice cream truck drive by to sell me some lettuce. This is a certain kind of genius, folks!

I don't imagine they're served by fruit & vegetable street vendors in that neighborhood. I don't even recall being served by fruit & vegetable vendors in downtown [[hot dogs, though).

**Zacha341** · June-09-10, 10:54 AM

Yeah, I've driven buy the building. It is really nice... and a grand idea for a city starved for fresh produce. I will be patronizing from them asap.

Originally Posted by fryar

Once again I'm late to the party!

Their web site references two ZIP codes that are serviced, 48202 and 48206. A quick look at Google Maps suggests the neighborhood is bracketed by the Lodge, I-75, I-94, and the Davison. Does anybody know more about what these guys are doing, and if it's perhaps easily scaleable to other neighborhoods and cities?

After all, the availability of fresh fruits and vegetables in underserved urban areas is still a national issue. I am not what most folks consider underserved, and I know I struggle with that can of Chef Boyardee Beefaroni smiling at me from the shelf, mmh, dump in a bunch of Kraft Parmesan, oh boy, here comes the salt! I for one could also stand to have an ice cream truck drive by to sell me some lettuce. This is a certain kind of genius, folks!

I don't imagine they're served by fruit & vegetable street vendors in that neighborhood. I don't even recall being served by fruit & vegetable vendors in downtown [[hot dogs, though).

**wanderinglady** · June-09-10, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by kville

I remember produce trucks coming down our street all summer when I was a kid. It's great to see this happening again.

And of course, someone here had to put the typical negative spin on this otherwise positive thread by talking about the truck probably getting robbed - and it only took 3 postings from the top. Thanks diver.

I remember the produce truck and the bread truck. Not old enough to remember the milk truck, though! Where I live [[in LA), there are many produce trucks that drive through mostly Latino neighborhoods. Glad to see someone do the same in Detroit.

Unfortunately, Kville, crime in Detroit is the elephant in the room...

**fryar** · June-09-10, 11:50 AM

It looks like a converted convenience store on Google Maps Streetview. If it wasn't for the link at that CDC, you might think it was a business. I imagine they get cheap or free rent as a result of their being an initiative of the CDC, rather than a straightforward business.

I have nothing against that, I'm just thinking out loud.

**Hermod** · June-09-10, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by wanderinglady

I remember the produce truck and the bread truck. Not old enough to remember the milk truck, though! Where I live [[in LA), there are many produce trucks that drive through mostly Latino neighborhoods. Glad to see someone do the same in Detroit.

Unfortunately, Kville, crime in Detroit is the elephant in the room...

Bordens had milk trucks and Sealtest had horse drawn milk wagons in Detroit when I was a kid. There was also the Mills Bakery truck.

There were two Italians with a truck with a striped awning over the bed. The back end of the truck was full of bushel baskets of fresh produce both fruit and vegetables [[in season). They used to cruise around the neighborhoods pushing the product.

Ice cream vendors were Good Humor trucks and the Eskimo Pie, Creamsicle, Poppsicle guys. Only Good Humor had the trucks. The others had a two wheeled dry ice box with either a bicycle rear end or a Cushman motor scooter rear end.

**old guy** · June-09-10, 12:36 PM

I have to say that where I live, 50 cents for an apple is a good deal especially if you're only buying one. If someone would drive past my house with one, I'd consider that a real bonus.

**Ed Golick** · June-09-10, 02:01 PM

When did Peaches split up with Herb?

**Hermod** · June-09-10, 02:38 PM

These ice cream scooters cost the vendor $325.00 brand new

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Fi..._Ice_Cream.jpg

**redfordman** · June-09-10, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

Bordens had milk trucks and Sealtest had horse drawn milk wagons in Detroit when I was a kid. There was also the Mills Bakery truck.

There were two Italians with a truck with a striped awning over the bed. The back end of the truck was full of bushel baskets of fresh produce both fruit and vegetables [[in season). They used to cruise around the neighborhoods pushing the product.

Ice cream vendors were Good Humor trucks and the Eskimo Pie, Creamsicle, Poppsicle guys. Only Good Humor had the trucks. The others had a two wheeled dry ice box with either a bicycle rear end or a Cushman motor scooter rear end.

I remember the same thing on my Grandma's street [[St. Marys) There was also the Twin Pines Dairy trucks!

**buildingsofdetroit** · June-09-10, 04:09 PM

They drive around my neighborhood, which is nice, but they're annoying as hell. The guy just rattles off the same list of fruits and veggies over and over and over and over again. I'm not saying I wish he go away, mind.
I haven't bought anything from him because we have three grocery stores within biking distance of my house, including Honey Bee, so I can't attest to their freshness.

**Hermod** · June-09-10, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

They drive around my neighborhood, which is nice, but they're annoying as hell. The guy just rattles off the same list of fruits and veggies over and over and over and over again. I'm not saying I wish he go away, mind.
I haven't bought anything from him because we have three grocery stores within biking distance of my house, including Honey Bee, so I can't attest to their freshness.

The Italians used to just ring a bell as did the Mills Bakery truck and the ice cream guys. Good Humor had a whole chain of bells the others just had one bell.

The dry cleaners used to pick up and deliver at your door. i was never in a dry cleaners as a kid. I just used to see their pick up and deliver vans.

Also the brown Hudson's delivery trucks. The sales girl would always ask "Do you want it delivered or will you take it with you?" Delivery was free.

.

**fryar** · June-09-10, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by buildingsofdetroit

They drive around my neighborhood, which is nice, but they're annoying as hell. The guy just rattles off the same list of fruits and veggies over and over and over and over again. I'm not saying I wish he go away, mind.
I haven't bought anything from him because we have three grocery stores within biking distance of my house, including Honey Bee, so I can't attest to their freshness.

That's odd. Then why does he drive through your neighborhood, unless it's a heck, why not try making some marginal sales thing? And he just rattles off his stock, he doesn't play that mouth watering music [[which is also annoying)?

**fryar** · June-09-10, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Hermod

The dry cleaners used to pick up and deliver at your door. i was never in a dry cleaners as a kid. I just used to see their pick up and deliver vans.

That was my other idea, when I lived in downtown, dry cleaning pick up and delivery [[the first being a car share). Midway through my stay, the sole dry cleaning storefront in downtown closed up shop, and suddenly we were all back to driving around all over the place for basics. Aggregate enough customers, and somebody could make a windfall.

**Hermod** · June-10-10, 05:15 AM

Originally Posted by fryar

That was my other idea, when I lived in downtown, dry cleaning pick up and delivery [[the first being a car share). Midway through my stay, the sole dry cleaning storefront in downtown closed up shop, and suddenly we were all back to driving around all over the place for basics. Aggregate enough customers, and somebody could make a windfall.

Last time I ever had dry cleaning pick up and delivery was in Texas in 1964. Ever since then, I have had to drop off and pick up in some dry cleaner shop.

When did JL Hudsons stop free package delivery? It used to be when we rode the bus or streetcar downtown, you weren't coming home on the bus with a passel of boxes and bags. You could shop on Saturday and the Hudson's truck would bring it to your house on Tuesday or Wednesday. You only needed to carry home what you immediately needed.

**REL** · June-10-10, 09:07 AM

Kathleen, you should check out their actual store [[Peaches & Greens). I know you'd take some great pics, it's a photogenic place with the bright colors.

50 cents for an apple isn't bad pricing. Kim's Produce has the exact same price. And her pricing is on par with Honeybee. And E & L Supermercado is also a great place to shop for fresh veggies & fruits, with slightly less freshness than those I just mentioned but great prices. I once loaded up an entire basket there for about $13. At my local Kroger if probably would have cost me $20-$25, and I kept more of my money in the local economy.

The grocery industry is tough, with thin margins and perishability. Multiply the expense of being in an urban environment [[people stealing carts, people tagging your building, people not used to having fresh options therefor not knowing how to cook them so they don't buy them, etc) and you have a formula for fewer grocers who are willing to open up shop.

As a side note, I was at Kim's Produce yesterday and was talking to a family from France [[no kidding) who was acting like they were in Disneyland. The wife said she came to Detroit because she was leading efforts in her area for urban farming, and heard this was THE place to learn about it. Her kids & husband had a fun time picking out their gourmet fresh-squeezed lemonades while she snapped pics on her i-phone of the handmade sign by the Michigan asparagus. Of course, I gave her directions to Cub's garden before they waved au revoir.

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself as I thought of it: the French coming back to Deh-twah to explore & farm

**jackie5275** · June-10-10, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by fryar

I don't imagine they're served by fruit & vegetable street vendors in that neighborhood. I don't even recall being served by fruit & vegetable vendors in downtown [[hot dogs, though).

There used to be a guy with a fruit stand outside the CAYMC [[CCB) building in the 1990s. He was located near the horseshoe on Larned. I think he got chased out because of the 9-11 terror attacks.

Dabirch · June-13-10, 06:14 PM

CDC is a fantastic organization, and Lisa Johannon has done more for more people in this city than just about anybody I have ever come across.

She is truly a gem - a heart for serving people, trying to improve their lives, and their community. From housing, to tutoring and mentoring, workplace programs, education, and various retail enterprises focused on needs in the community, she is a tireless worker and always trying to do just a little bit more.

I believe she actually went to a top five law school [[University of Chicago?) but gave the lucrative career opportunities to move into the neighborhood and devote herself to the community and it's residents.

There are very few people that I have run across in my personal life and professional career who have the ethics, drive, and determination to do what she does on a daily basis.

I hope that if any of you can support her endeavors actually do. She makes a hell of a difference in the lives of a lot of people.