Today we’d like to introduce you to Bryon White.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’m a plant nerd at heart. Ever since I was a small kid, I’ve had a fascination with plants and the natural world around us. I’ve always worked outside, and I’m happiest out in the elements. In adulthood, I began thinking a lot about ways to create value from native plants, especially in ways that other people hadn’t thought about.
About ten years ago, I stumbled on the Yaupon Holly, a native tree that was growing across from my home in New Smyrna Beach. I learned that Yaupon is the only caffeinated plant species in America and that it was a hugely important part of indigenous culture for at least 8,000 years. I was totally fascinated not only by the plant itself but also how no one I talked with knew anything about the Yaupon. This plant was a cornerstone of life for millions of people for thousands of years, and modern Americans knew nothing about it. It was totally crazy. I decided then and there that I needed to try and bring it back.
I brewed up some Yaupon tea for the first time in 2011, and it sort of took off from there. Everyone who tried it loved its smooth taste and gentle energy boost. Fast forward to today, and we are making 5 tons of Yaupon per year, propagating a million trees, and building two manufacturing facilities in Florida and Mississippi, totaling over 40,000 square feet. It’s completely surreal but also amazing to see this incredible plant finally being re-elevated to its rightful place as an important heritage product in America.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
OMG- I had no clue how to start a business and never thought about how difficult it would be. Being an entrepreneur is just really hard work. There is no way around it. It’s also a massive learning curve. I guess I didn’t think about that when I got started. And to make that worse, I roped in my younger brother, who knew as little as I did, so he had to get stuck in the grind, too.
There are a lot of challenges around learning new skills that are necessary to run a business. You have to wear all the hats, and you can’t blame anyone else when things go south. For me, managing the finances was particularly challenging. I really hated doing it and wasn’t good at it. Luckily, we now have a partner and COO, Shelly, who is good at those things.
Aside from that, and the challenges every entrepreneur faces, we had the additional obstacle of selling a product that was virtually unknown. We had to tell the story about Yaupon to every single customer, and sometimes it didn’t stick. We’ve gotten better at it over time. Actually, now the story of Yaupon is a key driver of our business… It’s just really fascinating. Our new partner, Oliver Luckett, is a master storyteller. We’ve just launched a new brand wit him called Yazoo Yaupon, which is elevating the Mississippi Delta through inclusion, transformation, and innovation. Be sure to look it up!
AND – there are new challenges everyday! The business is always growing and evolving, which means there are always opportunities to learn and grow with it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Yaupon Brothers American Tea. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m the co-founder and CEO of Yaupon Brothers American Tea. We make consumer packaged goods from plants which are native to America. We are also an emerging Agribusiness firm, leveraging a large propagation operation and a wide range of contract Yaupon growers that spans several states.
In a nutshell, our primary product is Yaupon Tea, made from the native Yaupon tree which is America’s only source of caffeine. We’ve built a supply chain around the Yaupon, with a vision to give farmers a more resilient native crop and more freedom from the industrial food complex. So, it’s about creating value from the top down, from the farmer all the way to the end consumer. Because the Yaupon supply chain is totally new, we can build it to be vertically integrated and totally traceable and transparent. This meets today’s customer’s strong desire for authenticity. Yaupon really ticks all the boxes. And that’s what really sets our company apart that we chose to invest heavily in building a scalable and sustainable supply chain that helps everyone who plugs into it.
Brand-wise, I’m really proud of the trust we’ve built with our customers. It’s taken a long time and a huge amount of work, but we have a very loyal and supportive customer base that keeps us going. I’m very proud of that and thankful for it. I’m also proud of our recent entry into food service. Yaupon Brothers is now the exclusive tea supplier to all Foxtail Coffee locations, which is becoming a ubiquitous chain in the Central Florida area. My brother, Kyle, runs that program.
Coming soon, we are opening a new Yaupon factory in Edgewater, FL, that will offer tours, a cafe and a gift shop. We can’t wait to let people in to see how our products are made. It’s gonna be fun! (504 Pullman Rd., Edgewater, FL 32132… about 50 minutes from downtown Orlando).
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Just go for it. You are going to make mistakes, and it’s going to be really hard. But all of that is ok! You will never know what you can do until you throw yourself in there and give it your best shot.
Manage your expectations, don’t be afraid to ask for help, and don’t take any shit from people! That last one took me a long time to learn. Overall, I think being an entrepreneur has made me a better person. I view the world with a much wider lens than I used to, and I’m often exhausted but more confident in myself and more content in general.
Contact Info:
- Email: bryon@yauponbrothers.com
- Website: https://yauponbrothers.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yaupontea/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YauponAsiTea
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1hGFk-WriknjdCK0iqF0MQ?view_as=subscriber
- Other: https://anchor.fm/bryon-white
