Last year, Nicole Stump wrote this fascinating essay on a plant called Yaupon – the consumable native holly bush which I had never heard of, and which you have undoubtedly walked by a thousand times, likely without noticing.
Perhaps a day later, I was rummaging through the (famous?) red fridge down at The Red Fridge Society, and came across a can of something called December Yaupon, ready to drink.
It seemed auspicious. Thirty-five years on the planet and I’d never heard of this concoction once. Now, suddenly, it was haunting me in all my favorite places.
Some of you know that I cut my teeth writing as a Trends analyst – gazing into the crystal ball of the internet to spot consumer demand that was just beginning to take off, but still relatively unknown.
I know enough not to ignore a mystery can when it finds me.
So, I tracked down the owner – a guy by the name of Ian McCluskey here in town – and asked him to tell us all about this thing he’s building.
As it happens, December is just now coming out of stealth. You can find them in more than a dozen locations around town. And if you want to try it out, drop by their launch party at Tiny Minotaur, May 23rd.
Without further ado, enter Ian…
1. Okay, tell us about your business! What's the backstory? And how did you get your first customer.
December Yaupon began as a series of friends & family dinner parties where we always cooked with local meat and produce to support farmers recovering from the impacts of COVID shutdowns.
After dinner, we [Dorian and I] usually made pots of tea or coffee for the table, staying up late to share stories and ideas.
We decided to look into more local caffeine options and started learning about Yaupon. After some back and forth with a Yaupon farmer in Florida, we developed an “espresso” style grind for our little Breville machine and made mochas and lattes for our guests.
It was a hit, and they encouraged us to try applying to farmers markets.
I remember one of our first sales was to a group of moms in town to visit their daughters in college. They bought for our five yaupon lattes and came back a few minutes later with nearly empty cups and big smiles on their faces, one of them proclaiming, “It’s like tea and coffee had a baby!”
We put that on our market sign and it brought in a lot of business over the following year. As the menu evolved we started to focus on Yaupon cold brew, which became the best-seller. With the mission to Make Good Yaupon, and make it accessible, we started working on our canned nitro cold brew last year and just launched last week!
2. What’s one unconventional decision you made early in your business that you believe set you apart from competitors, and how do you think it shaped your trajectory?
We don’t see other yaupon companies as competitors, which is why we’re part of the newly formed American Yaupon Association trade group.
If anything, we’re competing against the market forces that make imported tea and coffee less than half the price of Yaupon per pound. But as those imports become more expensive, our farmers here in Texas have invested millions of dollars in equipment to scale up production and we’re excited to grow the industry together.
In addition, we learned early on that Yaupon was always dark roasted in traditional settings. That led us to experimenting with espresso and cold brew, which worked in our favor. Along with the Yaupon nitro cold brew cans, we’re working on some new products that will make it easy for people to brew dark roast Yaupon at home in ways that fit their morning routine.
3. What’s one book most people have never even heard of that you think is worth reading. (DIG DEEP - we’re looking for the books you’ll never see on the NYT list)
The Black Drink by Charles Hudson. It’s a bit dated, but it’s still the best summary of Yaupon’s wild history and cultural connections. Charles Hudson is no longer around to write a new edition, so it seems someone else will have to step up and write the book of Yaupon for 21st century!
4. What’s one belief about entrepreneurship you held when you started that you’ve completely abandoned, and what made you change your mind?
When we decided to host that first dinner party, I had no intention of creating a new business, much less a full time project for myself.
I already had a great career in a field I enjoyed. But Yaupon directly improved quality of life for me, my friends and family in a way that I couldn’t unsee.
If there’s one thing I’ve had to unlearn it’s the sense of control that just isn’t possible while creating a new product category in the market. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve rewritten the business plan as we encounter and solve new challenges from sourcing to production to marketing strategy.
As a wise man once said, move your ass and your mind will follow!
5. What’s one purchase of less than $1,000 that’s made the biggest impact on your happiness, health, or wealth?
Our puppy, Yams! He’s a little mutt from the trailer park so he only cost about $50 but we love him all the same.
6. (Optional) Are you married? If so, how’d you meet your spouse, and what role have they played in your entrepreneurial journey?
Dorian and I started December Yaupon together. We’re not legally married but anyone who runs a business with their S.O. knows we might as well be. If I’m the head of the company, she’s the heart.
7. If you were to recommend one under-the-radar Austin spot to another founder for brainstorming or unwinding, where would it be and why?
The Tiny Minotaur. It must be the most unique and creative social club in the city. Each time I visit I come away with inspiration. We hope to host the December launch party there this summer.
You can connect with Ian here, and follow December Yaupon here, or head straight to their website for their store locator, a list of upcoming events, insights on Yaupon, and more.
