Bryon White
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Bryon White | |
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| Born | July 6, 1986 Daytona Beach, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of Central Florida |
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Bryon White, (b.1986), is an American entrepreneur, environmentalist, farmer, and activist. He is the President and CEO of Yaupon Brothers American Tea, which he co-founded with his brother in 2011. White is often credited with reviving the growing Yaupon Tea industry in the American South Kiel, Aaron (December 16, 2020), "Q&A: Bryon White, Co-Founder & CEO, Yaupon Brothers American Tea Co.", World Tea News, retrieved December 20, 2023.
Background
Bryon White was born July 3, 1986, in Daytona Beach, Florida. His father was a deputy in the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, and his mother worked for the court system. The family moved to New Smyrna Beach when White was two years old. White grew up on a small farm adjacent to the Doris Leeper Spruce Creek Preserve, and spent his childhood exploring the woods and developing an interest for native plants and animals.
White graduated from New Smyrna Beach High School in 2004, and attended the University of Central Florida where he graduated with a degree in Legal Studies in 2009. The economic downturn at the time prevented White from attending law school, and instead he became a law enforcement officer and earned a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University of New Orleans in 2012. White left his career to work on his numerous business ventures in 2019.
Business Ventures
In 2011, White co-founded Yaupon Asi Tea Company with his brother, Kyle, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. In 2015, the White Brothers rebranded the company as Yaupon Brothers. In 2017, the brothers won a pitch competition at the University of Central Florida, which allowed them to open their first production facility. Following an agriculture research pilot program with the University of Florida, White expanded the commercial cultivation of Yaupon into Mississippi and Alabama.
In 2021, White partnered with actor, Morgan Freeman, who invested in Yaupon Brothers following the company's expansion into the Mississippi Delta Region. In 2022, White partnered with Santigold to create a tea celebrating her fourth studio album, Spirituals, and also created products for the Clinton Global Initiative. Guarria, Charles (September 15, 2022), "Three growing firms in the running for recognition", Hometown News, retrieved December 20, 2023
Accolades
White was named the Industry Leader for Citizenship by the Specialty Food Association in 2021. In 2023, White's company, Yaupon Brothers, was chosen to highlight Yaupon as the #1 food trend of 2023 at Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods Market, October 10, 2022, retrieved December 20, 2023
Forbes named 2023 "the year of Yaupon," and the plant also made trend lists in The New York TimesSeverson, Kim (December 27, 2022), "The New York Times", How Will We Eat in 2023? Here Are 10 Predictions., retrieved December 20, 2023 and The Washington PostJudkis, Maura (December 30, 2022), "The Washington Post", What’s in and out for 2023, retrieved December 20, 2023.
Yaupon Brothers won the Made in the South Award for Sustainability from Garden & Gun magazine in 2023Sanders Clements, Caroline (December 2023 – January 2024), "Meet the Winners of the 2023 Made in the South Awards", Garden & Gun, retrieved December 20, 2023.
Activism
White and three other petitioners filed a lawsuit against the State of Florida in 2023, alleging that the State planned to unlawfully destroy more than forty acres of wetlands in order to build an interchange along Interstate 95. The group also accused the State of misappropriating more than $20 million in ARPA funds to pay for the projectHarper, Mark (July 26, 2023), "Environmentalists argue Pioneer Trail interchange at I-95 will harm Spruce Creek watershed", The Daytona Beach News-Journal, retrieved December 20, 2023.
White also publicly supported efforts to prevent a roadway from intersecting Split Oak Forest in Orange County, FL.
References
External links
This article "Bryon White" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace. ategory:Farmers