Since she was a teenager, Robyn Matthews loved the idea of drive-thru coffee. She registered the domain for what would become White Duck Espresso in 2007 13 years before opening in March 2020.
Fully bootstrapped, she and her husband Kyle built a cult-classic drive-thru coffee concept in Tampa Bay based on the stands they frequented growing up in the Pacific Northwest, north of Seattle. The first location launched at the start of the COVID-19 lockdown, and the firm is now opening its third location.
The company has been recognized for the best customer service in creative loafing Tampas Best of the Bay awards every year theyve been open (2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023). White Ducks 2022 average visits per location put them in the top 10 of all QSR restaurants in the U.S.
The most important risk she took in starting White Duck Espresso was genuinely investing in and caring for the team, said Matthews. To care well for others is a vulnerable thing but has given us an absolutely amazing team that customers feel, she said. That care is a huge part of who we are.
Moving forward, Matthews said the focus will be on keeping the vibe, culture, and attention to quality that have made White Duck a hit in their first locations, and balancing that into a smart speed of growth is the current focus. This includes streamlining processes, vendors and store openings – but the biggest focus is pouring into White Duck Espresso leaders. You cant maintain quality as you grow without a passionate, knowledgeable empowered team who lead the charge on new locations, said Matthews.
As a leader, Matthews said drive, honesty and humility guide her every day. You have to WANT it (the drive, or passion) to keep moving forward, she said. Honesty and humility go hand in hand. Lead with understanding and transparency in order to get people going with you.
Matthews also uses her passion to give back to the community. When she and her husband Kyle lost their son Ezra to neuroblastoma cancer in 2010, they formed a nonprofit called Because of Ezra, which Robyn actively sat on the board of and built. Because of Ezra later merged with four other parent-led organizations into what is today the Beat Childhood Cancer Foundation.
Throughout Matthews time involved, millions have been raised for childhood cancer research – resulting in only the 7th drug EVER FDA-approved specifically for childhood cancer. This was done through a growing consortium of childrens hospitals (60+ now across multiple countries), still active.
