Yerba Mate

An evergreen holly relative (Ilex paraguariensis) native to the subtropical forests of South America, cultivated across Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil and Uruguay for its dried, ground leaves, which are steeped in hot water to make the caffeinated infusion mate, a beverage deeply woven into the daily social life of the region. Traditionally harvested from wild stands, the plant has been grown in managed plantations since the nineteenth century after Jesuit missionaries first developed cultivation techniques, and Argentina and Brazil remain by far the largest producers. Beyond the region's traditional drinking customs, yerba mate has become an increasingly globally traded commodity as an alternative caffeinated beverage crop.