Guayaki’s Vision in Action: Market Driven Regeneration
Guayaki’s Vision in Action: Market Driven Regeneration
Guayaki’s Vision in Action: Market Driven Regeneration
Guayakí believes in using business as a force for good. They also believe that customers can, and should be, empowered to advance social change with their purchases.
To enable customers to fuel change with their purchases of Guayakí Yerba Mate, Guayakí internalized their impact into their business model. They call it Market Driven Regeneration. It starts with Guayakí’s sourcing strategy for yerba mate, which is the cornerstone of the Guayakí Yerba Mate brand and its regenerative impact.
Guayakí develops long-term partnerships with Indigenous communities and small farmers to harvest yerba mate from the rainforest and forested farmland at fair trade prices. Guayakí Yerba Mate purchases fund their economic sovereignty and land stewardship, which prevents further deforestation of critical forests under threat from political and economic forces.
Guayakí’s governing structures provide another means to guarantee impact. They chose a Social Purpose Corporation legal structure to direct the business to create social and environmental value in addition to economic value. They also choose investors that align with their vision by focusing on long-term impact rather than only short-term profits.
Guayakí’s self-distribution arm, The Yerba Mate Co, allows direct influence over product quality and service furthering their regenerative efforts from seed to shelf. Delivery of product through a fleet of electric vehicles cuts emissions and air pollution in the last critical mile of distribution. The Yerba Mate Co also aims for social regeneration, through hiring and training the formerly incarcerated and others held back by historic and systemic oppression. Intentional hiring is vitally important given the barriers to an inclusive economy.
A final foundational element of Guayakí’s business model is direct relationships with the market. Through immersive experiences with the Guayakí Yerba Mate brand, customers connect with the brand vision and yerba mate tradition of service and friendship.
