New Orleans · United States
French Truck Coffee
French Truck Coffee roasts in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Since 2012 · Geoffrey Meeker, Bobby Winston
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
- head roaster
- Bobby Winston (also Green Buyer)
- 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)
- roastery location
- Lower Garden District, New Orleans (corner of Magazine and Erato)
- espresso equipment
- La Marzocco GB5
Café
1200 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Recognitions
- Fortune Magazine top 10 fastest-growing inner city businesses in America