Yerba Madre Expands 30-Year Legacy with New Flavors, Formats, and NEXTY Award Recognition
HOSPITALITY
Yerba Madre has launched the world’s first Shade-Grown Yerba Mate seal.
"Sustainability" is often treated as a marketing layer added after the product is built. But for Yerba Madre, it is the foundation. Today, the category leader, formerly known as Guayakí, unveiled its most ambitious innovation slate to date at Natural Products Expo West, proving that three decades of regenerative leadership can seamlessly translate into modern, high-velocity formats.
The centerpiece of the launch is the Yerba Madre Traditional Air-Dried Loose Leaf, which has been named a 2026 NEXTY Award finalist. It is a milestone achievement: the first yerba mate loose leaf in the world to reach Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) Gold.
From Roots to Recognition
Yerba Madre’s return to Natural Products Expo West showcases a product portfolio built around decades of cultivation and refinement. The brand’s 2026 lineup, from loose leaf and bottled brews to canned and sparkling variants, reflects a category that has matured alongside consumer expectations for both performance and authenticity.
At the heart of the expansion is Yerba Madre Traditional Air-Dried Loose Leaf, a product named a 2026 NEXTY Award finalist, a recognition that highlights its role as a pioneer in regenerative agriculture and ingredient integrity. Originally introduced in 1996 and relaunched under the Yerba Madre name in 2025, this loose leaf mate was the first in the world to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified® Gold status, a benchmark that now guides the brand’s broader portfolio.
Innovation Meets Regenerative Standards
Yerba mate has long been celebrated not just for its smooth, sustained natural lift but also for the cultural traditions it embodies, a drink shared among friends and communities, rooted in connection and vitality. Yet Yerba Madre isn’t resting on nostalgia. This year, the brand is expanding into new formats and flavors while introducing the world’s first Shade-Grown Yerba Mate seal, a standard developed to validate Indigenous and family farmers who cultivate mate beneath forest canopies within restored agroforestry systems.
This dual focus, honoring tradition while innovating for modern lifestyles, reflects a broader shift in how legacy brands can remain relevant. In a crowded functional beverage market, authenticity and values can be differentiators, not just descriptive badges. Yerba Madre’s regenerative roots aren’t a marketing ploy; they’re the foundation for future growth.
Flavors and Formats for 2026
For early 2026, Yerba Madre has lined up a number of new offerings designed to appeal across drink occasions and consumer preferences:
Sparkling, Reimagined – a refreshed sparkling mate line with 115 mg of naturally occurring caffeine
Lower Sugar Enlighten Mint – an updated version of one of the brand’s best-selling SKUs
Strawberry Kiwi – a convenience store exclusive at Extra Mile and Jacksons
Cherry Sublime – launching at 7-Eleven
Mango Fuego – a limited-run seasonal inspired by peak mango season
Each of these releases builds on the brand’s identity as both a heritage leader and a dynamic innovator in the beverage space.
The "Regenerative Equity" Advantage
By honoring regenerative standards and expanding into formats that align with today’s on-the-go consumer, the brand demonstrates how mission-driven companies can scale without sacrificing values. In an era where consumers increasingly seek purpose alongside performance, Yerba Madre’s model, rooted in care for land, growers, and community, offers a blueprint for how legacy brands can lead with both integrity and innovation.