KANSAS CITY, Mo. — As international soccer fans converge on American cities for World Cup matches, a traditional South American beverage is generating significant commercial activity and demonstrating how cultural imports create economic opportunity in local markets.
At Cafe Corazon, one of the biggest importers of yerba mate in the Midwest, demand has surged dramatically. Dulcinea Herrera, one of the co-owners, reported that "our mate has been flying off the shelves," with lines of fans in Argentina jerseys extending nearly out the door on Monday, the day before Argentina played their first match of the World Cup. The caffeinated beverage, ubiquitous in some South American countries, has spread alongside the multicultural appeal of soccer, including in the United States, where it has become a drink of choice for star athletes.
Market Expansion and Cultural Commerce
The drink's commercial reach extends far beyond its South American origins. In the early 20th century, more than 100 years ago, mate became popular in Syria and Lebanon, which is why one of the main places to get the traditional dried leaves in the United States is at Middle Eastern grocery stores, according to Christine Folch, a cultural anthropologist at Duke University and author of "The Book of Yerba Mate." This demonstrates how private enterprise and immigrant communities have built distribution networks without government intervention.
In the United States, the beverage is often sold in refrigerated cans, marketed to an American audience as a natural energy drink and mixed with fruit flavors. Some Cuban Americans drink a version of mate that is sweetened and carbonated. In Berlin, Club Mate is a popular carbonated drink that often gets mixed with alcohol. These various commercial adaptations show how free markets allow products to evolve and meet different consumer preferences.
Consumer Preferences and Authenticity
When reigning World Cup winners Argentina arrived at their hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, fans were outside pouring and sharing yerba mate in gourd cups with metal bombillas, the straw that acts as filter for the steeped leaves. Plenty of the World Cup's most famous stars are avid drinkers, from Uruguay's Luis Suarez to Argentina's Lionel Messi. Messi posted a photo of himself holding a mate cup in one hand and the World Cup trophy in the other after his team won four years ago in 2022.
Herrera noted that "a lot of people have been coming in to try it. People who aren't Argentinian want to just have that experience. And we have a lot of Argentinians coming in saying, 'Oh, this reminds me of home.'"
Sebastian Cufre and his father Rene, who was born in Argentina, drove to Kansas City from Albuquerque trying to score last-minute tickets to the match. They met other Argentina fans at Cafe Corazon and shared a cup of mate around their tables. Cufre said he has tried the canned American version but is not a fan. "Honestly, I don't even consider that to be mate," Cufre said. "That's like a completely different class of beverage."
Traditional Preparation and Social Custom
The drink dates back to Indigenous people and the gauchos, South American cowboys, and is sipped around the world, with other nations and cultures adding a different spin or flavor. People in Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil prefer their mate in different types of vessels and prepared certain ways, which can be a cultural identifier when fans meet up at a friendly match.
Folch said she has a large collection of mate cups, including ones made of cow hooves and horns, alongside hand-stitched, leather-wrapped metal cups and gourds. Traditionally, the leaves of the trees are smoked during preparation, so the mate can have a smoky overtone as well as a strong grassy, earthy flavor that people say makes them feel less jittery than coffee. It is pronounced like MAH-teh, not as in soccer teammate.
Folch said mate is made for social settings, like a sporting event, because traditionally people share the same cup or bring enough to share. "When somebody offers you mate and you accept, what you have done is you have stepped into a relationship. So it's a way of bonding with people," Folch said.
Fernando Villagran, originally from Salta, Argentina, traveled from California to cheer on Argentina's team. He said, "It's not only a drink, but a social thing." He said, "It is about friendship."
Why This Matters:
The commercial success of yerba mate in American markets demonstrates how cultural exchange drives economic opportunity without requiring government programs or subsidies. Private businesses like Cafe Corazon have identified consumer demand and built profitable enterprises around imported traditions. The beverage's century-long expansion from South America to the Middle East and now to mainstream American markets shows how immigrant communities and entrepreneurial retailers create distribution networks that serve diverse populations. As international sporting events bring different cultures into contact, businesses that recognize and respond to these opportunities stand to benefit significantly. The contrast between traditional preparation methods and mass-market adaptations also illustrates how free markets allow multiple product versions to coexist, letting consumers choose based on their preferences for authenticity versus convenience.