Yaupon Trees Require Fewer Inputs to Grow and Produce Less Pollution in Soil and Waterways
New York, NY- Leading yaupon tea producer Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. of Edgewater, Florida, whose products will be featured at the 2022 Fancy Food Show on June 12-14 at the Jacob Javits Center in Booth 7514, puts sustainability and making a low carbon footprint at the core of their corporate mission.
“Yaupon Holly, as a sustainable native crop has evolved to thrive in the Southeastern United States for millions of years and does not require expensive and environmentally damaging inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides in order to thrive, which means less pollution in our soil and our waterways and makes a more sustainable product” said Bryon White Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. founder, and co-CEO of Ilex Organics.
“Our wild-crop operations harvest Yaupon in sustainable amounts that preserve the health of the trees. Finally, our tea doesn't have to be shipped many thousands of miles to reach American consumers’ cups, so Yaupon has an incredibly low carbon footprint.”
White also noted that all Yaupon Brothers’ growing and processing operations are certified organic.
Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. will be at the 2022 Fancy Foods Show alongside their sister company, Yazoo Yaupon, which is based in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
The two Yaupon tea brands, which operate under the umbrella of Ilex Organics, are leading innovators in the small but growing Yaupon tea industry. Their regenerative agriculture model includes operating in production facilities that are purpose-designed and managed to systemically avoid waste, and conserve resources.
“With our yaupon orchards, we aim to reduce 640 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, rebuild soil, and increase overall soil health,” White said. “Regenerative agriculture is the only way we know, Yaupon is a perennial, evergreen crop which can be harvested several times per year with a low maintenance cost, allowing local farmers to have a second chance. Yaupon farms are also natural choices for intercropping and in the Mississippi Delta we have supported intercropping with purple hull peas, field peas and in Florida our farms have been intercropped with organic elderberry, meaning Yaupon can grow side by side with other crops.”
Co-founder and Co-CEO, Bryon White, began exhibiting at the Summer Fancy Food Show in 2012 when Yaupon Brothers shared a booth with the Tropical Blossom Honey Company. In 2021, White was selected by the SFA for the association’s Leadership Award in Citizenship. White has served as a volunteer member of the Regulatory & Legislative and Digital Strategy working groups for the Specialty Food Association since 2020.
| Who: | Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. & Yazoo Yaupon |
| What: | Summer Fancy Foods Show 2022 |
| Where: |
Jacob Javits Convention Center |
| When: | June 12-14, 2022 |
About Yaupon Holly Tea
Yaupon comes from the naturally caffeinated leaves of the Yaupon Holly tree and is the only caffeinated plant native to North America. Yaupon contains around 30% less caffeine than coffee but also serves up a healthy dose of theophylline and theobromine, which complement the caffeine to provide a smooth and jitter-free energy boost with no crash. Like its South American cousin, the Yerba Mate, Yaupon has dozens of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, polyphenols, and antioxidants to fortify the body and calm the mind. Learn more about the history of Yaupon on our websites yazooyaupon.com and yauponbrothers.com.
About Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co.
Bryon and Kyle White, along with their mentor Mark Steele founded Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. in 2015. The business is centered on the guiding principles of making great-tasting tea, creating jobs with sustainable agriculture, caring for the environment, and respecting Indigenous culture. Yaupon Brother's teas are a true labor of love and each leaf is hand-plucked, carefully dried or fire-roasted, graded and milled, and hand-packed in their facility in Edgewater, Fl.
About Yazoo Yaupon
Yazoo Yaupon was founded in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a town known as the “Birthplace of The Blues” and the hometown of our founder and co-CEO, Oliver Luckett. Oliver returned to his hometown to be close to his father and help boost the local economy; he quickly learned about the Yaupon Holly Tree and its prolific growth throughout the Mississippi Delta. Oliver was soon connected with Bryon White, and they joined forces to create Yazoo Yaupon. Yazoo Yaupon aims to elevate an entire region using the re-discovered homegrown tea to promote inclusion, transformation, and revitalization in the cradle of American culture - The Mississippi Delta.
For more information, contact Amanda Crumley, [email protected].