Yaupon tea, cultivated in Florida, could be poised for growth amid Trump tariffs

Yahoo

3 days ago

The Brief
Yaupon, North America's only native caffeinated plant, is gaining attention as a potential major crop in Florida.
Rising tariffs on tea and coffee imports have created a unique opportunity for domestic yaupon producers.
Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. is a leading player, with significant growth in direct-to-consumer sales.
CRESCENT CITY, Fla. - Rising tariffs on tea and coffee imports have created a unique opportunity for domestic yaupon producers. Yaupon, North America's only native caffeinated plant, is gaining attention as a potential major crop in Florida.
Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. is a leading player, with significant growth in direct-to-consumer sales.
Tariff-free tea
The backstory
Rising tariffs on tea and coffee imports have created a unique opportunity for domestic yaupon producers. Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. grows their own plants and sources from other suppliers. They process the leaves by drying, grinding and packaging them for sale.
CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APP
The company has seen significant growth, with direct-to-consumer sales increasing by up to 150% year over year.
What we know
Yaupon is a native plant found along the coastal Southeast, from the Carolinas to Texas. It has been consumed by indigenous people for thousands of years as a food, beverage, medicine and sacrament.
Bryon and Kyle White, founders of Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co., have been producing yaupon tea since 2012 in Crescent City, Florida.
'The next big crop in Florida'
What they're saying
"It's sometimes it's crazy to think about how far it's come," Kyle White said. "It's still a lot of work to do. You know, we want to make this the next big crop in Florida, but we're well on our way, I think."
"We're also, again, not incurring those tariffs, so we don't have to pass along price increases from trade problems to consumers," Byron White said. "We don't, we're uniquely, you know, absent from that whole fight."
Could yaupon impact economic growth?
Why you should care
With tariffs on tea and coffee imports raising prices, yaupon offers a domestic alternative without such trade barriers. This could lead to economic growth in regions that cultivate yaupon, potentially making it Florida's next cash crop.
By the numbers
Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co. has seen direct-to-consumer sales grow by up to 150% year over year.
The industry is small but poised for growth, with about a dozen U.S. companies selling yaupon tea.
SIGN-UP FOR FOX 35'S BREAKING NEWS, DAILY NEWS NEWSLETTERS
What's next
The industry is expected to expand, with more companies entering the market and increased consumer interest. Yaupon could become a significant economic driver in Florida, contributing hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
Tariffs continue to increase
Big picture view
On July 9, President Donald Trump announced plans to levy a 50% tariff on all goods imported from Brazil, including coffee, a major supplier to the U.S. This comes after a baseline 10% tariff on most imported goods, including coffee, was implemented in April 2025. The 50% tariff on Brazil is scheduled to begin on Aug. 1.
The Trump administration's trade policies have also affected the tea industry. Previously, Chinese tea imports were subjected to tariffs, which were later adjusted. In April 2025, additional tariffs were added to all Chinese imports, bringing the total tariff on Chinese tea imports to 61.5%.
The Source
This story was written based on information gathered from previous reporting and by FOX 35's Matt Trezza in interviews with the founders of Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co.