Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Duke.
Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m a 6th generation Floridian. I grew up on Publix subs and Semoran Skateway; I had a blast as a kid in Seminole County in the 80s and 90s. After graduating from FSU in 2005 (go ‘Noles), I took off to learn more about our country, the world, and myself and spent the next 12 years discovering these things all over the U.S. I moved to Chicago, and then New York City, and finally southern California for several years before heading back home to Orlando to start a family.
I was first introduced to vegan/plant-based eating when I moved to California. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first – that by removing things from my diet (mostly dairy, I never really was a “good” meat-eater), I would experience all of these magical changes like more restful sleep, a better response to stress, clearer skin, a consistent healthy and happy weight, and so many other things that seemed too good to be true. A friend of mine who was raised vegan prompted me to give it a try and challenged me to fully commit for one month to see for myself. Together, we cleared out my fridge and cabinets from anything containing animal products and went to Whole Foods and Trader Joes to find substitutions for the stuff I was used to eating and drinking. “Stuff” is a good word for a lot of what I was used to eating; “food” is what it became.
I’ve always enjoyed being in the kitchen, and that month I had a lot of fun recreating old family recipes and testing out new ingredients. I checked out restaurants that weren’t previously on my radar and was blown away by not only how flavorful vegan food can be but also how clean and really satisfied I could feel. All of those things my friend had preached about were spot on, and I could feel it.
That month turned into eleven glorious years and counting, and along the way, I’ve discovered some of the most amazing plant-based brands and products (and also some that were not so great). After moving back to Florida, I quickly realized that so much of what I had reliable, easy access to in southern California was much harder to find, if available at all. Specifically vegan ice cream and frozen novelties.
My husband and I have two girls, and like most kids, they scream for ice cream. They want to indulge in the sweet stuff, and I want to steer them in the direction of cleaner options that I know exist. The thought that there should be an ice cream truck with only dairy-free items quickly became a loud idea, and an unmet demand not only for our plant-based family but also for anyone who is dairy-free or lactose-free for a variety of reasons, or anyone who wants to taste new dairy-free products on the market, but can’t find them anywhere. Where there’s a will, there’s away, so I took this “need” and set off to create a solution: a completely dairy-free, plant-based ice cream truck, mobile across Orlando and first of its kind. When I shared the concept, “long overdue” was what I kept hearing, so I knew I had an idea that could benefit a lot of people. With much of my professional knowledge in business development and marketing, I felt confident and ready to start Sweet Fleet, a modern take on a classic experience.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
The journey bringing Sweet Fleet to life hasn’t been without a fair amount of challenges; some expected, some surprises. Moving through the state, county and city permitting processes during a pandemic can slow things down considerably, and inventory shipments are still straightening out across supply chains all over the world. Add to that unexpected expenses stretching our budget and headaches figuring out an efficient sales tax bracket system across multiple counties; it’s been a wild ride!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sweet Fleet?
Sweet Fleet is Orlando’s first exclusively dairy-free ice cream truck, sourcing hard to find and easy to love novelty throwbacks like ice cream sandwiches, waffle cones, bars and pops. We carry only plant-based, cleaned up classics in 18+ flavors from creamy coconut milk strawberry shortcake and orange n’ cream pops, to rich, indulgent novelties like almond milk Italian gelato cones and oat milk Italian gelato sandwich bars. You’ll find us parked at events and vendor markets across Orlando (head to our website for the public event calendar!), and we’re also available for private parties and business functions with customized packages available to suit groups of all sizes. It’s important for us to stay connected to the community and you’ll see that reflected in our partnerships and fundraisers. Sweet Fleet is a clean, fresh, modern experience inside and out!
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m a big fan of the Pulptown newsletter & podcast to stay connected with local news and what’s in the pipeline around Orlando. Being a part of small business collectives and Facebook groups that support women in business, plant-based start-ups and the food truck industry as a whole has been incredibly helpful. I believe we’re all here to learn from and with one another, and I’ve met so many supportive people every step of the way that genuinely wish to see Sweet Fleet succeed. It’s a really cool thing, and it means a lot to me.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@sweetfleetorlando.com
- Website: www.sweetfleetorlando.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/sweetfleetorlando
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/sweetfleetorlando
Image Credits
David Lawrence Photography
