Yerba mate is no longer considered an “exotic” product. It has become a category with steady sales all year round, boosted in summer thanks to cold preparations, and supported by a loyal consumer base during the rest of the year.
If you manage a tea shop, an online store, or a hospitality business, adding mate to your assortment allows you to increase the average ticket, attract audiences looking for sustained energy, and open the door to new ways of enjoying infusions.
In this guide, we summarise the essentials: origin, process, quality, preparation, and business opportunities. Everything you need to offer yerba mate to your customers with the confidence of solid knowledge.
What is Yerba Mate?
Yerba mate comes from Ilex paraguariensis, an evergreen tree native to the Río de la Plata basin.
Its consumption is deeply rooted in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil, although its audience has gone global in the past decade.
The dried and ground leaves (with varying amounts of stem) are traditionally infused in a container called a “mate” and drunk through a bombilla (metal straw with a filter). The same raw material, with specific cuts and grinds, is also used to prepare tereré (cold infusion).
A Beverage Full of Culture and Social Context
Beyond caffeine, mate is a social ritual. In the Southern Cone, “cebar” and sharing mate are the backbone of family gatherings and work breaks. This relational component explains its loyal consumption and resilience against passing trends.
For the professional channel, understanding the protocol, such as pouring without moving the bombilla, keeping a small mound of dry yerba, or adding the water at the right point, will help you create storytelling that sells more and, above all, enhances your customers’ experience.
Botany and Active Compounds of Mate
Yerba provides caffeine (often called mateína in popular language), theobromine, and theophylline, as well as polyphenols with antioxidant activity.
From the consumer’s perspective, it is associated with a clear “awakening” but is less jittery than other energy drinks, along with a pleasant digestive profile when blended with herbs.
From Tree to Cup: The Production Process
Here’s the step-by-step process that the leaves of the mate tree undergo before becoming a beverage. This information is useful for assessing quality and answering your customers’ questions:
- Harvesting and sapecado: Freshly cut leaves are briefly exposed to high heat (sapecado) to inactivate enzymes and prevent unwanted oxidation.
- Drying can be accomplished using barbecue systems (indirect heat) or more modern tunnels. The goal is to reduce moisture in a controlled way while preserving volatile compounds.
- Canchado and grinding: The dried leaves are coarsely chopped (canchado). Depending on the destination (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay), the final particle size is adjusted to include leaf, stem, and powder in different proportions.
- Ageing: Yerba is left to rest for several months to over a year, in bags or in bulk, to stabilise flavours and reduce astringency. The time and conditions of ageing are decisive for the organoleptic profile.
Styles, Cut, and Quality of Yerba Mate
Commercial classification depends on cut, presence of stem, grind, and sensory profile:
- With stem (Argentinian style): Balance between leaf, stem, and some powder. Round flavour, moderate astringency, and great versatility—ideal for beginners.
- Without stem (Uruguayan style): Finer leaf and high powder content. Intense, bitter, and persistent infusions; preferred by seasoned drinkers.
- Paraguayan style: Very suitable for tereré due to its grind and vigorous profile; it holds up well with ice and aromatics.
- Brazilian style (chimarrão): Extremely fine grind and bright green colour due to minimal oxidation; visually distinctive, with its own brewing technique.
- Organic vs. conventional: Organic certification guarantees specific agricultural practices and is often associated with clean profiles, highly valued by European consumers.
How to Prepare Mate the Traditional Way
Standardising preparation is what turns tasters into loyal customers. Here are the basic guidelines for preparing it correctly:
- Water: 70–80 °C for hot mate. Careful! If the water boils, bitterness and astringency increase.
- Dosage: Fill 2/3 of the mate gourd with yerba. Cover the opening with your hand, flip it over, and shake gently to distribute the powder. Return to upright and form a slope (the montañita).
- Moisten: Pour a little lukewarm water at the base of the slope and let it swell.
- Bombilla: Insert the straw into the moistened area without stirring.
- Pouring (cebar): Add hot water at the same point in short pours, without soaking the entire surface. Keep part of the yerba dry to prolong the infusion.
- Rotation: In service, it yields several pours; when it loses body, re-moisten the dry areas or renew the yerba.
Tereré (Cold Mate)
Fill the container with ice, add yerba, and pour very cold water or light lemonade. It also works well with fresh herbs (mint, lemon verbena) and citrus. In hospitality, it is often served in tall glasses or pitchers for sharing.
Hygiene of Accessories
Natural gourds need curing and thorough drying after use. Glass, stainless steel, or ceramic mates simplify cleaning for cafés and bars with high rotation. Stainless steel bombillas with detachable filters make washing easier.
Storage and Packaging of Mate
Yerba mate is hygroscopic: it absorbs moisture and odours. Simple rules to guarantee freshness:
- Packaging: Tri-laminated bags with zip closures for retail; airtight containers for bulk sales.
- Light and heat: Minimise exposure. Avoid displays in direct sunlight.
- FIFO (“First In, First Out”): Manage stock by batch and date.
- Customer information: Guide on best-before dates and storage conditions at home.
Our supply chain is designed to maintain freshness and respond quickly to restocking needs, with ample stock and fast deliveries across Europe. This reduces shortages and protects margins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mate
Does it have more caffeine than tea?
It depends on the dosage and continuous consumption. In practical terms, it provides a steady and stable “awakening” for most people.
How to avoid bitterness?
Control the water temperature (70–80 °C), moisten a small section first, and always pour water in the same spot.
Can it be consumed cold?
Yes: tereré with ice, citrus, and herbs; also in cold brews for 6–8 hours, used as bases for non-alcoholic cocktails.
How do you clean the bombilla?
With hot water and a brush. If it’s detachable, even better. Avoid scented detergents that can impregnate metal or gourds.
Why Buy Mate Wholesale for Your Tea Business
Mate is no longer a “niche” product: its ritual, versatility (hot and cold), and cultural narrative fit perfectly into specialised retail and beverage menus with character.
With a well-chosen assortment, the right accessories, and clear communication, the category adds value and builds customer loyalty.
At Alveus, we offer high-quality stemless mate, both organic and conventional. You can also find a wide variety of blends with mate as an ingredient. Without a doubt… It’s one of our favourite ingredients!
