What Makes Yerba Mate Energy Tea Different From Other Energy Drinks - Exclusive

When you're looking for a caffeine boost, which drink do you grab first? If you're one of the seven out of ten Americans that drink just over three cups of coffee per day, then a Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts run is probably your answer (via the National Coffee Association). However, energy drinks are making real strides these days as new products come to market. YACHAK Organic is one of those brands, as it not only offers an energy boost but also provides a plant-based drink.

In an exclusive interview with Mashed, YACHAK representative Julie Raheja-Perera revealed what makes Yerba Mate Energy Tea so unique. The brand currently offers a flavor portfolio that consists of blackberry, passionfruit, ultimate mint, berry red, and berry blue. YACHAK Organic sources its yerba mate from the Amazon rainforest — more specifically, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southern Brazil. Yerba mate is a holly plant used for centuries to make tea as natural caffeine, but what really makes this energy drink derived from it so special?

According to Julie Raheja-Perera, YACHAK's product is different from others on shelves due to its organic ingredients and caffeine equivalent. She explained, "There's 165 mg of caffeine in each 16 oz can, roughly equivalent to the amount of caffeine found in 1.5 cups of coffee. However, unlike many traditional energy drinks, 100% of the energy-providing ingredients in YACHAK are plant based." The company is certified USDA Organic, uses Fair Trade certified cane sugar, and is non-GMO.

Along with the ingredients being organically sourced, Raheja-Perera added that YACHAK Organic's mission also sets them apart from competitors. The company, co-owned by Pepsi-Co and Unilever, partnered up with One Tree Planted in 2021 to "restore nearly 300 acres of green space in the Amazon rainforest by planting 280,668 tree seedlings." The goal is to plant over 500,000 trees by 2024, and the reforestation effort will aid over 16 endangered and vulnerable species (per the company's website). If only every company was this environmentally conscious!

In addition to YACHAK Organic's One Tree Planted collaboration, the business also recently worked with National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale on The Amazon Assignment. This contest brings one lucky photographer to the Amazon Rainforest to document its reforestation project — and provides them with a year's supply of Yerba Mate Energy Tea, of course.

Head to The Amazon Assignment website to learn more about the partnership or Ami Vitale's Instagram page to keep up with her latest projects. Check out YACHAK Organic's website to see their products.