Our entrance into the movement began in 1996 on the Cal Poly University campus, when Argentinian Alex Pryor first introduced yerba mate to Californian David Karr. Fast friends and ultimately 'soul brothers’, the pair quickly realized there was a need for a nourishing source of energy, and a business model that could benefit the planet. Now, over 25 years later, we are sharing yerba mate loose leaf, cans and bottles in North and South America with the same regenerative vision that the founders initially started with.
Guayakí Yerba Mate aligns what we call Market Driven Regeneration™. We utilize the Sustainable Development Goals framework defined by the United Nations to help guide aspects of our business and to support our community of stakeholders, which include customers, employees, and the Indigenous and smallholder producers we partner with in South America.
Guayakí Yerba Mate aligns with what we call Market Driven Regeneration™. We utilize the Sustainable Development Goals framework defined by the United Nations to help guide aspects of our business and to support our community of stakeholders, which include customers, employees, and the Indigenous and smallholder producers we partner with in South America.
With 2021 marking Guayakí Yerba Mate’s 10th year as a B Corporation member, we raised the bar on how we can continually transform the world by using business as a force for good. In 2019, we integrated our business so that both our brand and distribution operations reside under our parent company, Guayakí Yerba Mate, S.P.C. In 2021, we elected to expand the scope of our B Corp certification under Guayakí Yerba Mate S.P.C. to integrate all of our operations in North America and South America as part of our B Corp certification. In doing so, our B Corp score dropped as we knew it would. This reality, however, set us up for much broader and deeper success in the future. It provided us with the understanding we needed to determine how we can do better. We are more committed than ever to implement responsible business practices consistently across all departments in our operations. This includes using our B Corp Assessment to help set our targets in GHG emissions, water usage, waste, worker standards, health & safety, transportation, and facilities. We’re excited to get to work!
When a brand makes the choice to certify a product or their operation according to a strict set of standards, whether they be government-regulated or privately owned, it can help to build consumer trust, and provide opportunities to identify where shared values exist. Certifications often require that companies bring a higher level of rigor to the standard operating processes of sourcing and producing their products. At Guayakí, we have committed to certifications that reflect our purpose and work with certifying bodies that are deeply committed to their respective values, beliefs, and standards.
