The Uncertain Future Of Mate?

[Illinoisjoe]

Guys, are any of you aware of what's going on with yerba in the US? I think it's trying to become the next hippie food trend in the style of açai, kombucha, coconut water, or the word "probiotic". I'm in Santa Cruz, CA, where you can't find a decent burrito or chinese food, but you can find nutritional yeast for your popcorn at the movie theater and I've been monitoring the spread of Mate at the expensive natural grocery stores in town (here we just call them "grocery stores").

I first saw a whole kit complete with bombilla, gourd, and a small bag of yerba for sale in a box with a drawing of what appears to be a Gaucho/Guaraní hybrid man enjoying mate in a rainforest or something. Photo attached.

More recently, I noticed the hippie-style energy drink shots at the register say "with caffeine derived from yerba mate" or something like that.

I'm not economist, but given that gringos have more money than brains, like new food trends, and currently like their mate more watered down than weak tea; could mate will soon be for export only in Argentina? Could Argentines be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

Please discuss.

 

[camberiu]

Mate is very easy to grow and is produced in several countries, including Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil. Any spike in price would be temporary until production caught up with demand.

 

[Ries]

First, its virtually impossible to export anything but wine, oil or soybeans from Argentina. There is zero possibility that they will export so much mate from argentina that there will be a shortage.
And even if there is, there is plenty of mate grown in southern Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

No danger of a shortage.

Second, they have been selling mate in hippie grocery stores in the USA for ten years, easy.
Its not exactly catching fire in terms of demand.
The stuff you get in the USA is extremely expensive, and stale- it takes a year or two to make it up here. It costs over ten bucks for a quarter kilo- that translates to something like 500 pesos a kilo. And the exporter in Argentina is not getting that money. Its all norte americano markup.

I drink mate in the USA every day. I offer a taste to my old hippie friends, and 90% of them grimace. When I run out of the good stuff that I bring back from Argentina every year, I drink that crappy hippie stuff- and it sucks.

The thing that IS taking off more in the USA is the north american version of mate- evergreen holly, or yaupon.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/08/04/429071993/heres-the-buzz-on-americas-forgotten-native-tea-plant

 

[nkotb]

Guayaki mate just like what's in that picture has been in East Coast Safeways for years. You haven't discovered anything new. After 30 seconds on google, I found out that Guayaki is a California company that sources mate from Paraguay and Brazil. Nothing to do with Argentina. Finally, your swipe at "gringos" is gratuitous and trite.

 

[RichardP]

Mate has been available in many latin food stores for years. I can get at least half a dozen of the most popular Argentine brands readily in Seattle, and it's not expired. It's about 10 bucks a kilo, but it keeps my Argentine wife happy. I can even buy the stuff on Amazon.

There are probably more Argentines in the US that consume mate than "hippy gringos."

 

[camberiu]

Mate has been available in many latin food stores for years. I can get at least half a dozen of the most popular Argentine brands readily in Seattle, and it's not expired. It's about 10 bucks a kilo, but it keeps my Argentine wife happy. I can even buy the stuff on Amazon.

There are probably more Argentines in the US that consume mate than "hippy gringos."

Widely available in Queens, NY too. Any Latin store has a variety of brands, from Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil.

 

[Silvie]

I was able to get mate in New York for the past 35 years, particularly in latin neighborhoods.

 

[Matt84]

Guys, are any of you aware of what's going on with yerba in the US? I think it's trying to become the next hippie food trend in the style of açai, kombucha, coconut water, or the word "probiotic". I'm in Santa Cruz, CA, where you can't find a decent burrito or chinese food, but you can find nutritional yeast for your popcorn at the movie theater and I've been monitoring the spread of Mate at the expensive natural grocery stores in town (here we just call them "grocery stores").

I first saw a whole kit complete with bombilla, gourd, and a small bag of yerba for sale in a box with a drawing of what appears to be a Gaucho/Guaraní hybrid man enjoying mate in a rainforest or something. Photo attached.

More recently, I noticed the hippie-style energy drink shots at the register say "with caffeine derived from yerba mate" or something like that.

I'm not economist, but given that gringos have more money than brains, like new food trends, and currently like their mate more watered down than weak tea; could mate will soon be for export only in Argentina? Could Argentines be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

Please discuss.

Thank you for your contribution. People in Santa Cru' must be very healthy.

Could Argentines be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

The opposite is the case: B*ing and watching football is free and coffee and cigarettes remain rather un-expensive in Argentina

Could Uruguayans be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

No. Uruguayans are wealthy enough.

View attachment 4109

That's a gaucho alright. Many gauchos had First Nations blood including Tupi/Guarani.
That's not a rainforest, it looks more like a savanna with shrubs and some trees. Perhaps a Chaco landscape? I'm sure they put all that greenery in the package to make the point that mate effectively worked as the Gauchos' (Cowboys) liquid veggies.
I think the branding of Guayaki is pretty straight forward
It could be so much worse:

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

 

[Matt84]

Finally, your swipe at "gringos" is gratuitous and trite.

Notice he also insulted Gauchos and Paraguayans alike:

what appears to be a Gaucho/Guaraní hybrid man (?) enjoying mate in a rainforest or something (sic)

Falsely stereotyped Argentines

Could Argentines be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

and deeply offended all Urugayans:

Could Argentines be priced out of their most treasured tradition?

 

[Arizona Guy]

I buy it here in Arizona all the time but the price has skyrocketed in the last 2 years. Rosamonte used to be available for $5.00 a kilo. Now it is $15.00. I assume this is due to importing it at the official exchange rate. When I visit Argentina in November, I will bring back a suitcase full of yerba and alfajores.