Taste Radio

If you’re familiar with yerba mate, you’re probably familiar with Guayaki.  Founded in 1996, Guayaki was one of the first companies to introduce yerba mate -- a naturally caffeinated herbal infusion native to South America -- to U.S. consumers. In the years since, the brand, which markets a range of ready-to-drink and loose leaf products, helped create a loyal and rapidly expanding market for the beverage, while establishing itself as a vertically integrated company driven by responsible and sustainable business practices.  In an interview included in this episode, co-founder David Karr discussed why a focus on “regenerative thinking” throughout the company’s growth has guided its business strategy, rather than “an end dollar, an end goal.” “There’s no end game,” he said. “It’s a mindset. The greatest influence we’re going to have as a tribe or as a collective is to inspire rather than to have to do it all ourselves.” Within our conversation, Karr opened up about Guayaki and its origins, how the brand creates