Meet our sacred

Yerba mate (also known as erva, ka'a, kógunh, or just yerbs among friends) is a tree whose roots run deep in South America’s Atlantic Forest.

Yerba Mate originally used by Guarani (gwar-a-nee) and other Indigenous Peoples—with deep cultural, social, and spiritual significance.

We partner with Indigenous communities to grow our Yerba Mate in its ancestral homelands, using traditional cultivation and regenerative practices rooted in local knowledge. We’re honored to share it with you. Explore Yerba mate

Where Yerba Mate Takes Root

Tap a country to learn more.

Grown Right—
and right where it belongs

We source our yerba mate from one of Mother Nature’s most biodiverse regions. Explore the Atlantic Forest locations where it’s cultivated by family farmers and Indigenous communities.

Protecting forests, preserving futures

Our yerba mate grows in its native ecosystem - helping protect the Atlantic Forest for the next generations.

+130,000trees planted as part of regenerative action plans.

+55,000acres conserved and restored in 2025 alone.

46
water sources protected in yerba mate growing regions

Good things are growing in the shade

These days, most Yerba Mate is grown as a conventional crop with chemicals and no trees. Ours grows under organic, regenerative and ecological practices towards shade-grown systems.

IMPROVES CLIMATE RESILIENCE, PROMOTES BIODIVERSITY, REDUCES WATER RUNOFF AND SOIL EROSION.

First-ever shade-grown yerba mate standard created by Yerba Madre

Who are thereal
heroesof our story?

Our yerba mate growers are more than producers — they are guardians of the forest. From multi-generation family farmers who know every leaf and root of their land, to Indigenous communities whose traditions are woven into the rhythm of the Atlantic Forest, our partners are the heart of our work.

Juanita

Meet Juanita—a Guarani community chief and agricultural leader in Argentina

Zamolinkski family

The Zamolinskis are embracing agroecology on their family farm in Argentina

Ramon

Ramon, a Guarani mate grower in Brazil, is planting his community’s future

Juanita

Meet Juanita—a Guarani community chief and agricultural leader in Argentina

Zamolinkski family

The Zamolinskis are embracing agroecology on their family farm in Argentina

Ramon

Ramon, a Guarani mate grower in Brazil, is planting his community’s future

Partnering with Indigenous communities to restore land, share knowledge, and value people over profit.

What began as a space for honest and true dialogue has grown into something far deeper - it became a movement. For two years running, Women of the Atlantic Forest has brought together over 30 women from three countries - cultivating a cross-border community grounded in Yerba Mate and a shared bond with forest and Mother Earth.

Born from a simple ask from women in our South American communities who longed for a safe, meaningful space to gather and share their challenges and deepest desires. What emerged was more than listening circle: a powerful network where women nurture one another’s strength and dare to dream bigger.
It was here that we met Juanita - one of the few Indigenous Guaraní women leaders - and from that day on, our paths have walked together.

This said, shade and agroforestry are at the heart of our work. But our initiatives goes beyond yerba mate – these regenerative tools help us reimagine how conservation and production can go hand by hand.


We are proud to support farmers and Indigenous communities at their vital role of forest guardians. Through agroforestry, we’re co-creating solutions that restore degraded land, enhance biodiversity and nourish livelihoods.


15 hectares. 20,000+ trees planted. One powerful partnership.In the past two years, we’ve helped restore 15 hectares of degraded land in the Aché Kue Tuvy community. Together with WWF Paraguay and local NGO A Todo Pulmón - and as part of the Paraguay Más Jaguareté program - we planted over 20,000 trees: yerba mate, fruit species, and other native trees that matter most to the community.


This is more than just planting trees. It’s about bringing back the forest and the home of the largest feline in America (Panthera onca), while creating culturally adapted income streams for 100 families - and most of all, showing what’s possible when local communities, NGOs and the business force work together towards a shared mission.

Born from Juanita’s dream, in late 2023 we partnered with the Yvytu Pora community, nestled within one of the largest forest remnants in Misiones, Argentina. Together, we planted more than just seeds: we co-created a yerba mate nursery that will grow the future trees to help restore degraded lands within the community’s territory.


But this isn’t just about restoring land. It’s about bringing the yerba mate plant back home - into community rituals, daily life, and ancestral memory.


Yerba mate will also serve as an alternative source of income for the community, helping to strengthen their livelihoods while honoring Indigenous knowledge and culture.


The forest is coming back. And with it, a powerful story of reconnection.
Spoiler alert - We’re not stopping here. We’ve signed a partnership agreement with a another guarani community in Argentina this last year: Tape Miri community is joining the movement.

the more we grow the more we give

We’ve always supported a Fair Trade community fund — and in 2025, we’re expanding that commitment with a new Impact Fund. As our mate production grows, so does the support for projects that strengthen livelihoods, protect forests, and preserve culture.

Read our impact highlights
100%
regenerative yerba mate
Certified Gold and sustainably grown — 960 tons (or 480 cars) of green leaf harvested.
+55,000
Acres Protected
55,000 acres of conserved or restored Atlantic Forest — that’s 396,400 basketball courts worth of land.
238
Tree Species Found
In yerba mate plots — 14 are endangered.
130,000
Trees Planted
In and around producers’ farms.
39
Mammal Species Observed
Within our producers’ yerba mate plots, ten of them considered endangered species.

100%
Regenerative Yerba Mate

Certified Gold and sustainably grown — 960 tons (or 480 cars) of green leaf harvested.

+55,000
Acres protected

55,000 acres of conserved or restored Atlantic Forest — that’s 396,400 basketball courts worth of land.

238
Tree Species Found

In yerba mate plots — 14 are endangered.

130,000
Trees Planted

In and around producers’ farms.

39
Mammal Species Observed

Within our producers’ yerba mate plots, ten of them considered endangered species

Ever wondered what makes our founders tick? Now’s your chance to ask—and hear their story.

Our Founders