In the latest episode of the Plant Based on Fire podcast, Bryan sat down with Amber Poupore, founder and owner of two beloved vegetarian restaurants in Michigan: Cacao Tree Cafe and The Clean Plate. Amber’s deep passion for plant-based food and community building has been the driving force behind her success. Over 25 years of living a plant-strong lifestyle, Amber has turned her love for whole foods into thriving businesses that nourish both body and soul.
From her early days working at Inn Season Cafe to opening her own restaurants, Amber has created more than just places to eat—she’s crafted environments where people from all walks of life can experience the power of healthy, organic, and freshly prepared food. Whether it’s through her restaurants or her involvement in community education, Amber’s mission is simple: to inspire and encourage people to eat more plants.
From Passion to Purpose: The Birth of Cacao Tree Cafe and The Clean Plate
Amber’s journey into the restaurant industry was driven by a deep personal transformation. After discovering the positive impact that plant-based nutrition had on her health, she decided to take her knowledge to the masses.
“My life has been dedicated to inspiring people to really think about what’s on their plate and how our dietary choices impact so many aspects of life,” Amber shared during the interview.
Cacao Tree Cafe, founded in 2010, was born out of a synchronistic opportunity. Amber took over a smoothie bar, transforming it into a vibrant, health-forward cafe focusing on raw vegan food. The Clean Plate followed in 2013, offering more of a sit-down vegetarian dining experience. Though Amber lost the lease to The Clean Plate in 2018, she looks back at the closure as a “blessing in disguise,” especially when the pandemic hit. Running one business allowed her to focus on honing the impact of Cacao Tree Cafe.
Insights You'll Gain from This Episode
Overcoming Challenges in the Restaurant Industry: Amber candidly discusses the hardships of running a plant-based business, from educating customers about whole foods to sourcing organic ingredients and creating a welcoming environment.
Sustainability at the Core: Learn how Amber prioritizes sustainability in her operations, from using compostable containers to participating in community composting programs.
The Power of Community Engagement: Amber emphasizes the importance of meeting customers where they are, fostering a compassionate and non-judgmental atmosphere for everyone, regardless of dietary preferences.
Staying Ahead of Trends: From her use of innovative ingredients like goji berries and raw cacao to her involvement in the local plant-based scene, Amber shares tips on staying relevant in an evolving industry.
Building a Business on Values and Community
One of Amber’s core values is fostering a sense of community, both inside and outside her restaurants. She’s built a welcoming space where customers, regardless of their dietary choices, can feel supported and nourished.
“I want people to feel that they are welcome, honored, and respected. My staff is compassionate, understanding, and loving, and we want people from all walks of life to come in and enjoy what we do,” she said.
This commitment to compassion extends beyond her customers. Amber’s staff is an integral part of her business, and she emphasizes the importance of hiring people who align with the values of the company.
“It’s not about finding the most experienced chef,” Amber explained. “It’s about finding people who truly care about others and the environment. That’s what makes a great team.”
Business Lesson: Sustainability and Service Go Hand-in-Hand
Amber’s success is rooted not only in her passion for plant-based nutrition but also in her commitment to sustainability and excellent service. Her restaurants use compostable materials and maintain relationships with local farms and suppliers to source organic produce.
"We spend more than our rent on disposable containers," Amber laughed, "but we would never compromise on sustainability. It's just not an option."
Her approach to business is a reminder that, while the restaurant industry is challenging, aligning your values with your operations can create a lasting, positive impact.
"The restaurant business requires a lot of sacrifice," Amber admits, "but when you see someone’s life change because of your food, it’s all worth it."
Fun Fact: The General Tso’s Lettuce Wraps
One of Amber’s most popular menu items at Cacao Tree Cafe is the General Tso’s Lettuce Wraps, which Bryan himself had the pleasure of tasting. This dish has become a fan favorite for its unique blend of flavors and fresh ingredients—so much so that it keeps people coming back again and again.
Amber Poupore’s journey is a testament to the power of passion, persistence, and community. Whether you’re a plant-based business owner or simply someone interested in the benefits of whole foods, Amber’s story is an inspiring example of how aligning your values with your work can lead to success—both in business and in life.
Be sure to tune in to the full episode of Plant Based on Fire to hear more about Amber’s incredible journey, and don’t forget to visit Cacao Tree Cafe next time you’re in Royal Oak, Michigan!
🔗 Useful Links:
Website: cacaotreecafe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cacaotreecafe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063595392908
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Episode’s Transcript
Please understand that a transcription service provided the transcript below. It undoubtedly contains errors that invariably take place in voice transcriptions.
Bryan (00:00)
Hello everybody and welcome to Plant Based on Fire, where we talk about plant based businesses and their awesome and stories on how they're thriving in the industry. I am your host Bryan and today we are meeting Amber Poupore. She is the founder and owner of two amazing acclaimed vegetarian restaurants, Cacao Tree Cafe and the Clean Plate.
Amber, you've created amazing welcoming spaces where the community can experience nourishing, organic, and really fresh prepared foods. I got to sample them myself a couple of weeks back. Welcome to the show, Amber. Thanks for being here.
Amber Poupore (00:38)
Thanks for having me. I'm really excited.
Bryan (00:41)
It's so great to see you on the show. know we just got to meet maybe about a month ago now, and I wanted you to sort of recap again for us. Like what inspired you to start your own restaurants, the Cacao Tree Cafe and the Clean Plate? Talk to us about that.
Amber Poupore (00:59)
Well, my passion for, you know, just spreading amazing, healthy plant -based food has really defined my life for the last, let's say 26 years. I've just grown up in the food business. And as I really came to realize, you know, my own dietary choices and how it was affecting my health and my lifestyle. Once I learned more about plant -based and changed my own diet, I ended up working at a local
Vegetarian restaurant and I was there for 11 years. It changed my life completely It just connected me so much to you know, the customers my co -workers the community farmers, you know, just really completing this Experience I got us just you know fulfilling my life never thought I would be in restaurants this long, but it's really become my passion and
I had an opportunity where a smoothie bar was up for rent kind of at the last minute and I jumped on it overnight and Cacowtree was born. That was in 2010 and it was just literally a whole synchronistic experience of how that even happened. So that really allowed me to kind of launch into my own thing, focusing more on raw vegan food, soy sensitivities, gluten allergies and
A few years after that, I opened The Clean Plate, which was more of a sit down, vegetarian restaurant. I unfortunately lost my lease five years into that at the end of 2018, which at the moment was devastating. once COVID hit, it was like, I think I'm better off running one business than two. So it all worked out. But yeah, my life has just been dedicated to...
Bryan (02:41)
Blessing in disguise.
Amber Poupore (02:50)
inspiring people to really think about what's on their plate and where that comes from, how our dietary choices that we make every day impact so many different aspects of life. So I've just been on this mission to encourage people to eat more plants.
Bryan (03:07)
I love it. mean, it's so true. think any of us that get into this plant -based world, businesses and stuff are really doing it because they have a passion and I want to drive and drive this change that you and I are passionate about. but the food businesses got to be some of the hardest businesses to get into. And then you throw the vegetarian or the vegan mix on top of it. Talk to us. You've already mentioned one or two, but like talk to us about some of the biggest challenges you faced.
when you first were opening and some of the other ones you faced throughout these years here, because speaking about these challenges really helps other people see what they need to expect or how they need to overcome some of these things if you don't mind sharing some of them with us a little bit.
Amber Poupore (03:52)
Yeah, you know, it's interesting because in 2010, things like house made almond and coconut milk was such a foreign concept. And even raw cacao, which for me, you know, in the early kind of mid 2000s, when David Wolf brought raw cacao to the market, it was like, my God, I don't think I ever have to eat carob again. So there's like the challenges of our own kind of, you know, what ingredients are available down to, know, really educating the clientele about
Bryan (04:11)
you
Amber Poupore (04:21)
what it is that sets us apart. People might be familiar with vegetarian or vegan food, but what we do is we really use whole food plant -based ingredients. So every detail matters. It's a lot of labor. Food production is serious. We're really particular about where we source our food from. I'm particular about who I hire that's gonna handle the food. We have to ensure that we're
mindful of people's sensitivities and allergies. So really, the biggest challenge is are you willing to commit? And for me being that it's always been a passion driven business and aligned with my personal values, it's been kind of like a natural fit for me to commit. But one thing I tell people a lot is, if you wanna get into the restaurant industry, you better be ready to sacrifice everything because...
You know, it seems like such a glorious, exciting thing and it can be, but it requires a lot of work, a lot of grit, a lot of determination, a lot of sacrifice. you know, and for me it's, it's in these little details of running into someone five years later that says, you know, Hey, I was at this cooking class that you did. And I just want you to know, like from that day, you really changed my life. You you inspired me to think about the choices that I was making. And you know, when those
things happen, it's like, okay, that's why I do this. That's why I struggle. It's not something that is for profit. It's really about community and providing jobs for people that align with my values. But the challenges of owning any food business, let alone a vegan business, it's a lot. just getting people to come in the door to really try what we do and experience what we do.
That can be the first challenge. But we've been really blessed at retaining our customers, at retaining our employees. We've created a dedicated following, but yeah, it's not easy. It's a lot of sacrifice.
Bryan (06:30)
And I think it is for almost any industry you go into, like I'm in the IT industry and you think about it. It's like, how many times have I been up from 8 PM till two or three in the morning doing a deployment for a customer on a Friday or a Saturday night? But like the restaurant businesses nights and weekends, like you have to just know what you're getting into to a degree, like that's what you're signing up for. You're signing up for that dedication and that cert. It's gotta be so rewarding.
when you do have those people that come up to you and say like, you changed my life. I know I've had a few friends I brought to the vegan side of life and they've, they've, just constantly said, thank you on that side of it. But like you get to, you get to have a bigger impact on that and sort of speaking about that customer engagement, you know, what, what do you think is the key when people are coming and visiting your place and how do you treat customers and how do you engage with the community to keep them coming back?
Amber Poupore (07:26)
You know, my biggest thing is the word veganism can be very, not even sure the word to use, but it can kind of create like a condescending attitude towards people that are not vegan. And I mean, I've been in this movement since the late nineties. So it's very different than it was, right? I mean, things have transformed. And for me, you know, having the stance of like, if you're not vegan,
Bryan (07:42)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (07:56)
then you're not in. And for me, it's like, I wanna be open to everybody. Like who am I to judge what somebody else does? I everybody has different challenges that they're faced with every day. And that could be, geography, race, sex, economic disparities. mean, there's just so many different reasons why people are eating the way that they're eating. I mean, access to food, I come from Detroit. Access to food is a huge...
So for me, it's all about compassion, education, and the fact that we need to provide adequate resources to people. Once we can really move that way as a community, once our political climate really embraces that, mean, you and I could go on and on about the subsidies that are given to huge food companies. The little family apple farm.
Bryan (08:47)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (08:52)
isn't getting a subsidy, the small little vegan vegetarian restaurant, you they're not getting subsidies. So we have a lot of challenges that we're up against. And, you know, for me, it's like, I just want to meet people where they are. I want people to feel that they are welcome, that they are honored and respected. You know, my staff is very compassionate and understanding and loving and welcoming and
We want people from all walks of life to come in because you never know what one experience, one choice can lead for somebody. And maybe someone stumbles in and they just, they see that we have a smoothie. We're located in a downtown district and it's like, okay, lot of people know what a smoothie is. But when that customer comes in and we engage them and we explain that, like, hey, we make our milk every day and we use frozen organic fruit and we have all these amazing super foods and.
And then people say like, well, like what is, you what are these superfoods for? And it just really creates a platform for us to work with people that doesn't involve judgment. doesn't matter where they're at. It's like, we're here for you wherever you're at. And you know, maybe you'll come back in a week, maybe you'll come back in a year, but no matter what, you know, we're not there to judge you. there to welcome you.
Bryan (09:48)
Mm
Thank
That's right. And I, I will be back in Detroit soon just because I want to try those general toes lettuce wraps that you did. Like those are worth the trip right there people. So go up there and check those out. Those were amazing. I'm curious, like, you know, when it comes to promoting your restaurant and your business online, what strategies have worked best? I mean, do you see,
the directories like Yelp or VegReg or Happy Cow as a key part of that strategy or what draws people in online?
Amber Poupore (10:46)
Well, Bryan, I'm going to be honest. Seeing as how I last week graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10 ,000 Small Business Program and marketing was a big part of that program. So I've really, really slacked on digital marketing on all of our online platforms. And thankfully you walked into my life and you're doing my website. I've been really behind with that. And I think a lot of it, you know, I'm 45, I'm kind of on that cusp of like,
Bryan (11:10)
Mm
Amber Poupore (11:16)
You know, I don't personally use a lot of social media. I'm struggling that department. But with that being said, my biggest way to reach people has always been participating in community events, fundraisers, farmers markets, libraries, know, anywhere that I can go to reach people and give them a tangible experience. And because of the nuances with, you know, people being a little skeptical about vegan food,
It's just really given me an opportunity to have this engaging conversation with people, give them a sample of something we do, watch their face go from like, I don't know about this green smoothie to, wow, that was really delicious. so those kind of experiences have really helped build and grow my businesses. Of course, we've always participated in any of the veg fest, things of that nature, but for me, it's about
Bryan (11:58)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (12:12)
capturing an audience that you wouldn't necessarily expect to find us, which is where I find a lot of those people, especially farmers markets, find all walks of life. So we've used a different method of advertising and promotion, but with graduating from the program, I very much am realizing the value of social media and the power behind it.
Bryan (12:17)
Mm
Yeah.
Mm
Amber Poupore (12:37)
So we're really starting to amp up our social media presence. And now with this beautiful website that we're going to be launching, I won't feel as kind of insecure about sending people to our website. Now it's going to be exciting to send people there. you'll hopefully see a much stronger social media presence from us.
Bryan (12:58)
That's awesome. Well, you've got almost 200 reviews on Yelp and they seem all like they're glowing. And many of them are talking about the same lettuce wraps that I got to try with you. whatever you are doing in filling people's bellies is working and people are leaving those good reviews. So I'm curious about one other aspect of the marketing, just to touch on that, because like the online promotion is a key component of that.
And you're leaning on our unicornasaurus Rex like sister company to do that. So check that out if you're interested people. What is, what about the PR side of it? Cause I do, I'm curious, cause I don't know enough about the PR side of it, but the local TV appearances and maybe local documentaries or how are you plugging into that sort of, you know, aspects of, of, getting the word out too.
Amber Poupore (13:51)
Well, I've been really fortunate to kind of know the right people. So from 2010, I opened Kakao and then I launched the Clean Plate in 13. And it really came from just knowing the right people that really gave me an opportunity. So our local Fox News station, they ran a program, I'm pretty sure they still do it. A lot has changed obviously since COVID, but they were running a program that was called Meatless Mondays.
Bryan (14:16)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (14:20)
And it was awesome because they do cooking demos all the time on Fox News, but Monday they dedicated it to plant -based chef. And so I got really fortunate to get in early on those. And then they loved me. They love my personality and I've never been someone that's shy on camera. did do a lot of student forensics and debate and student government and things like that. So I've always been kind of confident with public speaking.
so I was asked to come back quite a few times for our Fox News meatless Mondays. I've appeared on our local, seven and four. I've also been on, you know, numerous radio programs, and then a lot of like local articles. I also was connected with a lot of people through the plant -based nutrition support group, PBNSG, which you're familiar with. so I was really involved with all of their work and then, me, that exposed me to, much larger.
Bryan (14:50)
Mm
Mm -hmm. Yeah.
Amber Poupore (15:15)
corporate world, educational world. I was working with General Motors for five years, excuse me, leading into COVID. I was doing what we call lunch and learns. So I'd go in, we would do like a fun little demo, things like the sesame crumble that goes on those lettuce wraps. So we would just do like a quick fun demo. I would talk about food, feed everybody, and just again, give them a tangible experience of
Bryan (15:35)
Mm -hmm.
Amber Poupore (15:44)
what real food tastes like, what something that you can make in 10 minutes at your house. All you need is a food processor or a blender and you can make some really incredible nourishing food that your whole family will love. And so giving people these tools, right? Like it's all about like planting the seed, giving people tools, give them recipes, inspire them and then let them take it from there. And that was similar with my involvement with Wayne State.
I was able to go in and do some classes for the future doctors, we always call them, but the medical students. So it's really been a matter of meeting the right people at the right time. I've just been really fortunate because I never had the money to hire a PR person. So it's always just been about, I just have been very lucky to meet some incredible people that reached out to help me.
Bryan (16:29)
Great.
That's awesome. Well, I mean, it is, it is that finding the person on your team, maybe it's, it's obviously you for your company, but find the person that has the outgoing personality that wants to help pour into that. And then just start asking people, can I help you with this? Can I help you with that? And then I think it just naturally evolves there. obviously a PR person, if you can afford it, will help you accelerate that path, but you can do some of it on your own. My last question on like the marketing people side of this a little bit is like,
How do you ask people to go and leave your review? Are you asking them? Do you have a process for that?
Amber Poupore (17:16)
No, no, I should, should. And maybe I will moving forward. There's a lot of good changes coming, which again, know, it's, I've, I'm really like the working owner. You know, I laugh, I'm like, I'm kind of like the resident dishwasher. I'm always there to support my team. And not that that's good because I should be, you know, the CEO. I'm learning all of these things, but all these years, you know, I've just, I've really been part of my team.
Bryan (17:21)
Okay.
Mm
Right.
Right? Yep.
Amber Poupore (17:46)
I've been very fortunate to have a deeper understanding about leadership. It feels like a lifetime ago, but over 20 years ago, I did do a Waldorf teacher training program. And that really helped me look into my own behavior, really do my own inner work. Because without working on myself, I cannot be the right leader for my team.
Bryan (18:12)
That's right.
Amber Poupore (18:13)
And so for me, it's always been about self reflection, personal accountability, you know, really thinking about what is it that I do or say, and how does that ripple out and affect other people? And so for me, it's like, when I lead my team and I empower my team, they have just this almost like a, you know, a natural invested interest in the company being successful. And when you come into Cacao Tree,
the warmth that comes from my employees. It's like, you know, they're, they're not compensated financially enough as much as they should be for how hard they work and how genuine they are. They're just so authentic because, you know, they're honored and respected. And so that really just kind of emanates out into their customer service. And our customers have these incredible experiences, which then drive them to want to leave these reviews. You know what mean? It's amazing to me sometimes I'm like,
Bryan (18:45)
Mm
Right.
Mm
Amber Poupore (19:11)
You know, like we should have like a little QR code at the counter or, you know, just something where we encourage people to leave a review, but we don't. but we just have, you know, we're really fortunate that we can leave a lasting impression on our customers in a good way.
Bryan (19:18)
Yeah.
think, I think a little rubber stamp you could put on the receipt or just a quick little note, little note for the team as they drop off the check. We'd really love a review too, or something like that. that kind of thing. That's right. Yeah, exactly. And so like, it's a great segue and I think you should do that for your, your, restaurant here, but like, if you are enjoying this podcast, I would really love it. If you can make sure you're subscribed.
Amber Poupore (19:32)
Hi.
Right, a follow -up email.
Bryan (19:55)
rate this podcast and help share it to a few friends that maybe haven't seen it. It only takes a minute and it helps us out a great deal to help keep spreading the word so we can bring more awesome guests on like Amber here. Amber, I'm just curious, like if we switch gears on the vegan side a little bit and talk about the sustainability side of it. Like part of what we're trying to do is make sure that we can keep planet A and we don't have to search for planet B because we don't even know where one is right now.
Talk to us about some of the sustainability things that you do as part of your restaurant to help make sure the world's a good, amazing place for future generations.
Amber Poupore (20:35)
Well, the nature of serving vegan food is really just already giving us an edge on sustainability because the products that we're purchasing, they're not involving the amount of wasted water, the use of antibiotics and hormones. mean, the list could go on and on about the terrible atrocities that are happening with animal agriculture. So the first thing is being in a position where we don't have to contribute to that.
Bryan (20:56)
Mm
Amber Poupore (21:01)
you know, goes along with the individual making dietary choices and how that affects the environment. So, you know, we already have a leg up on that. We are primarily carry out at the establishment. we, when we opened, it was, you know, we're not going to use anything that is not compostable, biodegradable. I I go through a tremendous amount of disposable material and we've been committed from day one that everything is, you know, sugar cane fiber or made from corn.
Bryan (21:06)
Mm
Amber Poupore (21:31)
You know, and we spend, I spend more than my rent on disposable containers, but it's not something that we would ever, you know, consider compromising on. It's just not an option. It doesn't align with our values. You know, and even for me personally, if I go somewhere and I get Styrofoam, it's like, I don't want to go back. Like I don't want to get Styrofoam in 2024. So, you know, really focusing on making sure that our disposables are, you know, always sustainable, biodegradable.
Bryan (21:35)
Wow.
Mm
Amber Poupore (22:00)
We've had multiple composting programs over the years. There's been word that our city is going to be launching a new one, which would make things much more convenient for us because it's been a logistic challenge over the years of different farms we're working with, different companies that are picking up the compost, because obviously we have a lot of fresh produce compost that we can't use. We're very mindful of water waste and usage in our facility, making sure that we don't have
Bryan (22:17)
Great.
Amber Poupore (22:29)
you know, excessive water, even just having like little adapters on faucets and making sure that, you know, we're not wasting in that department. So yeah, down to, you know, the food that we're sourcing, the daily practices that we have, and then, you know, continuing to contribute to our community is a big part of how I see sustainability because one of my mottos has been if you don't support your community, you know, your community can't support you.
Bryan (22:38)
Great.
That's right.
Amber Poupore (22:57)
And so any business, you you really want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to support the community that you're part of. And to me, that is also part of being sustainable. So we're very involved with the Royal Oak and Metro Detroit community, whether it's, you know, community events for nonprofits, urban farms, you know, all kinds of different things that we've been involved in.
Bryan (23:20)
Wow. That's amazing. Lots to unpack there for sure. And my next question, as I'm reading it here from my notes and stuff, was going say, how do you stay current with the food trends, especially the ones in our plant -based world that's always changing. But at the same time, feel like you're you from me visiting your restaurant and looking at your amazing menu and choices there. I want to come back and try it all. Honestly, what
What I saw was like, are setting the trends that others are probably trying to copy to a degree, but tell me, tell me some of the secrets there. Cause that's really where I think a lot of your passion lies.
Amber Poupore (23:57)
Yeah, especially in the beginning, you know, it was exciting to have things like, I mean, even goji berries, right? Like almost everybody's heard of a goji berry at this point, but you know, 15 years ago, people were not familiar with goji berries. And you know, we had like kamu kamu and baobab and shilajith and you know, all these things that were like, people are like, what is all this? So when I first opened, it was easy to kind of be ahead of the trend. I used to do a lot of cooking classes and workshops. I would go out to New York City.
Bryan (24:05)
Mm
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (24:25)
Chicago, I was out at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in the early 2000s with Dr. Gabriel Cousins and David Wolf, really just trying to be at the forefront of every discovery with raw vegan food. As I got into opening and just kind of became like the hamster in the wheel of just trying to get through and survive daily operations, it was much harder to implement newer, more inspired products.
Bryan (24:54)
Mm
Amber Poupore (24:55)
And we don't use any kind of like faux meat analog, right? So like we're not on the, there's a new burger or deli meat or things like that. That's not really ever been something that we focus on. We've just always focused on whole food plant -based. And so it's been a little bit more challenging to kind of stay with the trends and really be inventive and really set trends. The other challenge is we're like,
spatially challenged. You've been in my space, but it is really small. I I bought it, it was a smoothie bar. We don't have an exhaust hood to cook. You know, we're blending and processing and dehydrating. And I mean, I cook my soups and beans on like a little plug -in burner. You know, people crack up. I'm like, we sell a lot of soup. And if you saw what it takes to make a pot of soup, it's pretty crazy. So really a lot of it is figuring out what you can do.
given the space you have. You know, when I first opened Kakao, we then opened the clean plate, which gave us a full kitchen. So at that point, we were doing a lot of the food production offsite and then delivering it to KakaoTree. Then three years after that, I opened a commercial production kitchen and that was servicing catering events and both locations. And I had, you know, like this beautiful kitchen, really nice equipment and...
after losing clean plate, really needed to get out of that lease, which then right before COVID hit, I was back at Cacao. And so it's funny, you know, I'm like, okay, this 14 year journey, I'm now circled back into, all right, Amber, you got to come up with something that, you know, you have blenders, processors, and some plug -in burners. But we've gotten pretty crafty with how we can do, you know, different vegan pastas, you know, every once in a while, like,
Bryan (26:44)
Yeah.
Mm
Amber Poupore (26:52)
especially in the winter, we like to run some different specials and we'll do like from our other restaurant, do like we have a arugula Alfredo pasta. You know, we used to do, we actually do do a shiitake mushroom bacon, which is a labor of love to make this stuff. But that's what goes on our, like our version of a BLT sandwich. So it's really just, you know, I mean, you can kind of see behind me, I have a lot of cookbooks. Those are all plant based. Yeah.
Bryan (27:07)
Mm
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (27:20)
I'm a big fan of collecting books. So in some downtime that I have when I'm bored, I'm you know, I'm either looking through a book or I'm online looking at different fun blogs and, you know, other vegan restaurants. And, you know, I love to travel and check out every plant -based establishment that I can and just try to get inspired and, you know, think about, how can I do that, you know, at Cacao Tree? So over the years, it's really just been like,
Bryan (27:37)
Mm
Amber Poupore (27:46)
a journey of things I already knew coming into it, learning more, meeting people, also hiring people that bring new ideas. Because that's one thing that's really been important to me is that I'm not a chef. I'm just a food lover and a great line cook and a good leader. And for me, bringing people on that have great ideas, it's like they're working in the space. They know what they can do. And so I've always been open to people contributing new ideas.
Bryan (27:54)
That's right.
Mm
Amber Poupore (28:15)
And some of the best things we have are from that. So, yeah.
Bryan (28:16)
That's awesome. I love it. Yeah. mean, is, is recognizing you can't do it alone and you need this tribe in this community around you in all different aspects. So you really, you really let that shine through with, that answer for sure. I'm curious, like what advice would you give to someone looking to start their own whole food plant based restaurant?
Amber Poupore (28:41)
Make sure you want to do it. People ask me this all the time, honestly. I've also consulted other restaurants in the area to help open. But we also, in Metro Detroit, we've seen the loss of a lot of plant -based establishments over the last five to seven years. You really have to be ready to sacrifice, like I mentioned before. And that goes with any restaurant or hospitality business. But also, you know,
Making sure that you bring the right people onto your team and it doesn't mean that they have to be vegetarian vegan, you know, people can love food and love the environment and love animals and You are just great people and hard -working, you know you you can't teach someone to truly care about other people
Bryan (29:30)
Mm
Amber Poupore (29:42)
to truly be compassionate towards other people, non -judgmental. mean, these are things that you either are or you're not, right? And so for me in the hiring process, it's really important that I find the right people to represent my business because in my absence, I need to make sure that the right people are there. And so that's been really integral is making sure that you can find the right people, then you need to retain them.
Bryan (30:10)
That's right.
Amber Poupore (30:12)
I've been really fortunate where I have people that have been with me 10 years off and on, literally. They come back, they travel, and they come back to work for me. And it's always such a blessing. I just feel so honored when somebody shoots me a text message like, hey, I'm coming back. Is there an opening? It really shows that I've created this environment that people want to be in. But the biggest thing is
Bryan (30:14)
Mm
Mm
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (30:40)
get as much experience in the industry. The majority of restaurants that fail are opened by people who do not know the industry. And even if you're passionate about veganism, vegetarianism, if you do not understand the industry, it's really difficult to navigate and have a successful business. You can be someone that maybe comes in as an investor.
Bryan (30:48)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (31:10)
but you've got to have the right people in place to run the daily operations. Because without that, it doesn't matter. You can have the best space, the best location, even the best food. But if you don't have the right people to serve the food, execute the food, to greet your customers and to provide an incredible service, I mean, there's just so many elements. I mean, like we mentioned reviews, right? If you start reading reviews and
Bryan (31:15)
That's right.
Mm -hmm.
Yep.
Amber Poupore (31:40)
Everybody's like, well, the food was great, but the service was awful. There's a lot of people that it doesn't matter how good the food is. If the service isn't good, if they don't feel appreciated, they're not going to want to return. So it's really paying attention to all those crucial elements, making sure things are lined up. Do a business plan. Know your product. Even recently, there was a local plant -based restaurant that opened.
Bryan (31:42)
Yeah.
That's right.
Amber Poupore (32:08)
I went in early on and I have questions because I'm very particular with what I eat. you know, ownership and the service staff didn't know to me what should be very like concrete knowledge for your staff is like the brand of a faux meat product. You know, the brands of products is really important because, you know, there's of course going to be people that they don't care.
Bryan (32:12)
Yeah.
Okay.
Amber Poupore (32:38)
As long as it's vegan, they're just happy. But you also have to be open to catering to the people that do care about what they put in their body and that you can have the information available. for me, it's a little disheartening at times when I go to places and the kind of like the lead people, they don't really know the business. That to me is an indicator of, I don't think you're involved for the right reason. So it's...
You know, it's a challenging industry. mean, there's, you know, I tell people all the time, I'm like, when there is as many TV shows as there are about failing hospitality businesses, clearly it's a hard industry, you know, and it's a lot of money to invest into, you know, a build out and inventory and all the products that you need. So yeah, just, you know, hire the right people, hire a consulting team if you need to and.
Bryan (33:13)
Yes.
sure.
Amber Poupore (33:32)
you know, make sure you're covering all their bases.
Bryan (33:34)
It's definitely not for the faint of heart, but you've clearly proven through the years that you've got it down, you're successful at it, you've had your ups and downs, but you're making some really good progress at it. I'm curious to see what do you hope for Cacao Tree and some of your other empire type things for the next five years? What are some of your future plans?
Amber Poupore (34:00)
You know, it's interesting with going through the Goldman Sachs program, it's really opened my eyes to what my next business would be. I do plan on opening something again. And we're also in a position in Michigan right now where there's interesting legislation that is going to really change the landscape of how tipped employees are paid. And this is across the service industry. And this law would go into effect next February.
Essentially over the next kind of five years, it's going to bring tipped employees up to minimum wage, which ultimately is going to change the way in which people tip, right? I mean, if you know your server's making 16, $17 an hour, what does tipping look like at that point? But most bartenders and servers are making way more than minimum wage, right? So.
And this just happened, like in the last two weeks. The Michigan Supreme Court passed this. So this is a really interesting position for restaurateurs. So I'm gonna be watching this very closely. Right now I do primarily quick service, so my employees are paid above minimum wage anyway, and then there's a tip share. So it doesn't impact me as much as a full service restaurant would.
Bryan (34:59)
Yeah.
Amber Poupore (35:26)
My goal has been a full -service restaurant would be my next venture So it's it's interesting to see how this will unfold However, though you will be happy half of my family moved down to Coastal Carolina, North Carolina and About two years ago. So one of my goals has been to open something down there That I can have so that when I go see my family I have something there that's a business and then can you know?
Bryan (35:39)
Okay.
Very cool.
Amber Poupore (35:55)
kind of live in both places. So you never know, there might be something closer to you.
Bryan (35:59)
I love it. I will definitely be at your opening day there to help support you and let me know if any of the connections I know in the Charlotte area can help in some fashion. So that's awesome Amber. Well, I hope those dreams and those visions can come true for you. What can this group of community members that are watching this podcast do to help you and what are the best ways to get in touch?
Amber Poupore (36:06)
Thank
Hmm, two good questions. Well, the best way to get in touch would either be going to our new website, cacautreecafe .com, where you can leave your information, but you can also contact us directly at the cafe anytime. You can find us, you know, we're in downtown Royal Oak. Our phone number and email is accessible. You know, just reach out anytime. I'm on social media under my name on Facebook, Instagram. People can obviously always reach out there or at
Cow Tree Cafe under both of those platforms. And, gosh, it just slipped my mind what the second part of that question was, the first part of the question.
Bryan (37:04)
No, just how else can we help you? So what can the community do?
Amber Poupore (37:09)
you know, just continuing to spread the word, meeting you and then looking more into the work that you've been doing. It's it's people like you and not to like bring this into like a gender conversation. But I think it's really important that we talk about, you know, the role of diet with men, that it's it doesn't take away masculinity by eating a plant based diet. And, you know, there's so many things out there now. There's so much research. There's so many different
you know, people that you can follow, people that are, what was, there was that amazing documentary with it, it had all the athletes. Thank you. That one was awesome. I was like, I was like, dad, you've got to watch this, you know, because I find that, you know, we do serve obviously all genders, but it is predominantly women. Over the years, we have seen an increase of men coming in, but I think it's so important that
Bryan (37:45)
Game changers,
Yeah.
Mm
Amber Poupore (38:07)
this becomes inclusive to everybody. So getting the word out to people, the more that we support, whether it's plant -based products, organic food, plant -based businesses, the more that this segment grows, the more the price is gonna come down. And that's a really crucial part of this, is really figuring out how can this be accessible to everybody. So.
Bryan (38:32)
That's right.
Amber Poupore (38:34)
you know, just supporting any plant -based establishment you can on, you know, sharing that information through other social media platforms. It just helps build awareness and you know, it really just grows the mission that you and I are both on.
Bryan (38:48)
That's right. I love it. mean, that's very well said. I do hope there's a Cacao Tree Cafe cookbook coming out so I can make some of this awesome food when I can't come and visit you in person. So I hope to see that in the radar too, but I love what you said. I do think everybody should at least try a whole food plant -based diet for 30 days just to see where it takes them. Everybody's journey's different, but even if we can just get you to eat Meatless Mondays.
That's a step in the right direction for us. yeah, that is all the time we have for this episode of the Plant Based on Fire podcast. Thank you again, Amber, for joining us, sharing your insights and experiences with us and our community. Until next time, everybody, let's keep those fire burning.
Amber Poupore (39:35)
Thanks for having me.
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