Lately, one of my co-workers has been ordering a maté latte instead of his usual 16 oz. split shot rice milk latte with a dollop of honey. So I inquired as to what inspired the change. He was excited to fill me in on the reason behind his exploration into the world of maté.

Back in October, he had the opportunity to attend the Provender Alliance Educational Conference. While he was there, he got to hear Patrick Lee from Guayaki speak. He explained that he learned a lot about their organic, shade grown, fair trade maté. He also learned quite a bit about the company itself. It sounded really neat, so I decided to go on their Web site and find out more. I will share some of the coolest stuff I discovered.

Yerba maté is a tree that grows in the forests of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. It was discovered centuries ago, and has since become a traditional drink in this part of South America. It is the healthiest of the six most popular stimulants in the world because it contains nutrients as well as a boost of energy. In addition to caffeine, it provides your body with 15 amino acids, over 20 vitamins and minerals, and a whole bunch of antioxidants.

Guayaki maté tastes better and has superior nutritional and medicinal properties because it is shade grown. Shade grown meaning that the crop of choice is planted among tall trees in the forest as opposed to clearing or thinning the forests in order to increase production. The latter method often requires the use of agrochemicals and scientists believe that it has contributed to the shrinking numbers of some birds that migrate to Latin America.

The company Guayaki is named after the Aché Guayaki people of Paraguay.

Guayaki and the Aché Guayaki people have worked together to become one of the first “indigenously run, sustainable preserves.” Guayaki has agreed to cultivate 40 acres of “shade maté” for the Aché Guayaki people to farm. They will then buy the maté from the Aché Guayaki farmers at two to three times the market price. This will provide a steady income for their community for years to come.

In addition to using shade grown, organic maté, Guayaki also powers its facilities with solar energy. Thanks to all of their sustainable practices they have calculated that when you buy one pound of their maté, you reduce atmospheric CO2 by 573g.

So next time you come to our café, think about trying a cup of yerba maté or perhaps a maté latte. You can also find Guayaki’s great products in our grocery and bulk departments. For more information on yerba mate, Guayaki or reducing your carbon footprint, go to www.guayaki.com.