By Brian J. Lowney
FARM TO TABLE Rhode Island transplant and entrepreneur, Ma hew Bailey, is spreading “the pecan gospel,” one delicious nut at a time!
They stayed in Rhode Island one summer in 2017, and a er traveling a bit more, they se led in Rhode Island.
Bailey, a North Kingstown resident, is the owner and founder of American Pecan Co., producers and growers of quality Georgia pecans and delicious gourmet snack foods. The nuts are grown on Bailey’s 400-acre family farm and shipped, roasted, flavored, and packaged at Hope and Main, which has evolved to become Rhode Island’s premier culinary incubator. The facility is among the top ten in the country, and has launched nearly 300 businesses since 2014.
“I heard about Hope and Main and decided to work with them to build a brand for our family’s pecans,” he shares. “I went through the various steps in the program. The leaders have been very helpful with networking and helped me to meet other people in the industry. They held my hand and taught me how to produce food safety and helped bring me to where I am today.”
“We are fi h-generation farmers,” Bailey begins, adding that the family has owned pecan trees for more than 22 years. “I am a second generation pecan grower,” he notes, adding that his parents and brother currently maintain the sprawling family farm which is located in Moultrie, Georgia. Bailey recalls that a er high school, he worked in construction and a ended college, but always preferred farming. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary, and later the pair later explored traveling around the country. 16 Shop In RI
The pecan company produces five flavors of gourmet nuts, including Spicy Cheddar, Vermont Maple, Tangy Dill, Natural, Lightly Salted, and Sour Cream and Onion. The pecans are sold in four-ounce snack packs. “They are ideal for snacking,” Bailey says, adding that the company also sells bags of natural pecans that are roasted and sold in larger bags for baking or restaurant use. “All of our pecans are sold online or at farmers’ markets and will also be sold in the future at selected stores,” Bailey adds.
