In the heart of South Louisiana, two brothers are proving that innovation can sprout from tradition even when it starts in a rice field.
Mike and Mark Fruge, founders of Fruge Aquafarms and the JT Meleck Distillery, have turned their family’s century-old rice farm into a diversified agribusiness that includes crawfish farming, seafood distribution, and now, a nationally awarded whiskey and vodka brand.
“We were just trying to make a living,” said Mike Fruge, who co-founded the company with his brother. “When we started, our wives had hourly jobs that supported us. That’s how close to the bottom we were.”
Their first step toward expansion came decades ago with crawfish farming, which blossomed into Fruge Seafood, a wholesale distribution company based in Dallas. But the question that changed everything came unexpectedly: “Why don’t you do anything with the rice?”
That question sparked an idea that led to the creation of JT Meleck, a line of rice-based spirits that have gone on to win national awards including Best in Show for their vodka just two years after launching. The whiskey, crafted from Louisiana-grown rice, drinks like a bourbon but is “sweeter and softer,” according to Mike.
“We took the grain we grow here and applied American-style brewing and distillation processes,” he said. “There was no commercially successful rice-based brand before us. Now there’s a whole new category.”
While Mike leads the business and brand, Mark Fruge remains hands-on in the fields, planting rice in spring and harvesting by late summer. After the rice is harvested, the same fields are flooded and converted into crawfish ponds, a cycle that supports both farming and production.
“Our goal is to turn our entire crop into alcohol one day,” said Mark Fruge. “Right now, it’s about 10 to 15% of our production.”
For Mark, who started a small crawfish farm with his brother in college “just to make some spending money,” the journey has always been about building something lasting. “We’re a grassroots company. We’ve built what we have from the ground up.”
As the Fruge brothers continue to expand and refine their product line, from original whiskey to seasonal and high-proof releases, their goal remains steadfast: turn JT Meleck into a national brand without losing the family bond that built it all.
