About Lost Pines Yaupon Tea
About Lost Pines Yaupon Tea
Thanks for checking us out! Lost Pines Yaupon was founded in 2015 in Austin, Texas by three good friends Jason Ellis, Heidi Wachter and John Seibold. Years ago Jason went down an internet rabbit hole about a fascinating little plant, the yaupon holly. He learned about the long history of Native Americans roasting the yaupon leaves and using it as an energizing drink. Jason spent years experimenting with different methods of harvesting, curing and roasting yaupon until he came up with the methods we're using today to make what we consider the best yaupon tea around. Heidi and John tried the tea and were hooked. The three of us decided to turn this into a business and bring yaupon into the mainstream. Making yaupon tea is truly an art form that changes with the seasons. We're constantly evolving our process to find ways to improve our craft.
Thirty miles from our doorsteps is the unique and ancient Lost Pines Forest, a true gem of central Texas. The Lost Pines Forest is the westernmost stand of loblolly pines in the U.S., separated from the rest of the pines of east Texas by more than 100 miles. It's also home to the largest breeding population of the critically endangered Houston Toad. In 2011, the 6th most damaging wildfire in U.S. history raged through Bastrop, thought to be caused by a combination of sparks from power lines and tinder dry underbrush due to the record drought much of Texas was suffering from. The Bastrop Complex Fire, as it's known, burnt down massive swaths of the pines, putting the future of the forest, the toad and its unique ecosystem in question. Thinning yaupon helps restore habitat for the endangered Houston Toad and gives the pine forest a chance to grow back instead of being choked out by the faster growing yaupon. What better way to start a business than one that helps the world instead of exploits it!
We love the natural world. We're socially and environmentally conscious and knew the only way to start a business was if it was one we could be proud of. We strive to bring our customers the most environmentally friendly caffeinated beverage around. If you have ideas for how we can improve our company, we want to hear them.
If you'd like to contact us about anything, please don't hesitate.
Lost Pines Yaupon Tea
911 Chote Ave.
Austin, TX, 78702
