History

Starting in 1931, Jack Russo sold produce, door-to-door, off the back of a truck. Jack's son, Rocco (Rocky) Russo, worked with his father from the age of 16 until he was drafted for service in the Korean War. When Rocky came home from the service, he took over his father's business; Jack Russo had grown ill and was unable to continue working. 

Rocky became partners with his brother, Dominic, in 1957. Together, the two sons expanded their father's business into a major wholesale produce distribution company. Rocky purchased a small peanut roasting business in 1969, selling bagged peanuts to Detroit's Tiger Stadium and local street vendors.

The new enterprise grew beyond all expectations, and Rocky expanded the nut business in 1971 to a new location in Detroit's historic Eastern Market, on the corner of Russell and the Fisher Freeway Service Drive. There he prospered for 10 years before moving the Rocky Peanut Company to a new building nearby - on the original site of the family produce business.

Retail Store/ Eastern Market

Detroit's Eastern Market was settled in 1834 by German immigrants, and in 1891 became a public market for farm produce. It blossomed into a regional hub for wholesale food commerce, serving in that capacity throughout the 20th century. The last surviving public market in southeastern Michigan, the Eastern Market has served Detroiters, Canadians and others for more than 110 years.

The continued success of the business led to the creation of a wholesale distribution business in 1993.

Rocky Peanut Wholesale

Rocky Peanut's wholesale distribution center is located in Ferndale, Michigan and is owned and managed by Rocky's son Joseph Russo.

Rocky Peanut services customers nationally, with bulk food products as well as custom packaged and private label snack foods. Customers include traditional grocery chains, upscale gourmet food stores, food distributors, professional sports teams, and hotel and casino gift shops. Rocky Peanut also offers a line of sophisticated corporate gifts.

What makes Rocky Peanut special

Rocky Peanut Company buys raw nuts and dried fruits right at harvest, directly from growers and processors all over the world to assure that all we roast and process is the freshest and best quality. In our oil roasting process, we use Canola oil, which is lower in saturated fat then Cotton Seed or Peanut oil-the oils that most roasters typically use. Many of the steps that Rocky Peanut Company takes in manufacturing a quality product are not the easiest, fastest or most economical methods available. Nevertheless, we are a family business dedicated to delivering quality and freshness, and measure ourselves not on how much we do, but on how much we do right.

For wholesale buying information call (800) 437-6825, or email: wholesale@rockypeanut.com.