Everything about the Nickey Gregory Co. is Georgia-grown, right down to the founder.

Nickey Gregory has worked on the Atlanta State Farmers Market since he was a kid. In 2000, he launched his company there to source, sell and ship produce throughout the Southeast.

“I grew up on this market and I’ve never wanted to leave,” Gregory said.

Gregory’s venture has been a rousing success. The company now has a second warehouse in Miami, helping with hard-to-find items and keeping Gregory fleet trucks — proudly emblazoned with the Georgia Grown logo — burning up the road between Atlanta and Miami. Its private label, “Cheryl’s Best,” is thriving. And a subsidiary fresh and frozen trucking line, Gregory Family Express, helps ensure overnight delivery throughout the Southeast, along with the Nickey Gregory Co.’s own fleet of dedicated trucks.

But even as business has grown and regularly expanded, Georgia’s always top-of-mind, a fact made clear by the abundance of University of Georgia Bulldog memorabilia on display around headquarters.

“We’re big time supporters of Georgia Grown, we’re platinum members of the state program and support (Commissioner of Agriculture) Gary Black and what he’s done,” said Andrew Scott, director of marketing and business development. “When we’re in-season, we load whatever we can from Georgia.”

The Nickey Gregory Co. is a full-line distributor, providing everything from staples to niche items. Georgia farmers are making it easier to fill in some of those categories locally.

“We got Vidalia onions in 10 days ago, two weeks before the season started. We’re selling the as ‘Georgia Sweets’ because that’s what the law says we have to do, but they are Vidalia onions. You’re seeing more and more unique items in Georgia,” Scott said. “Like Rosemont Farms in Tifton, GA, they’ve got Georgia-grown asparagus we’re buying from them that looks real good, Brussels sprouts, they’re tweaking leaf items. Southern Valley in Norman Park, GA, is actually testing out some green leaf, red leaf and Romaine lettuce. Georgia’s number one in the nation for blueberry production. Of course we’re famous for peaches. There are some local strawberries too, Georgia’s getting bigger in that deal every year. Sweet potatoes, greens, there are just more unique items being grown in this state that you don’t see from other states except maybe California.”

Sourcing from Georgia means “fresher product and less food miles, getting Georgia-grown product to our clients quicker versus loading out of Mexico or the Midwest,” Scott said. “And you don’t have those huge freight rates. We pick it all up on our own trucks and backhaul product with our own drivers.”