I hope this newsletter finds you all enjoying a beautiful May day wherever you may be located. This newsletter contains a very important announcement regarding our company...

In the eleven years we have been in operation there have always been core forces behind our business model:

1. Offer a unique, high quality yerba mate that is grown in its natural environment, sustainably and organically.

2. Do business with people in South America in a way which results in a positive social footprint on the workers, their families, and surrounding community. We call this Direct Trade, where we have a say how people who pick and process our yerba mate are paid and treated.

I had mentioned in past newsletters about the unfortunate passing of our rancher in Paraguay a while back. Jack Carson was more than just a yerba mate supplier, he was a good man. He was truly the glue that held things together down there. After much effort, we determined the resulting situation at the ranch was not conducive to achieving our business goals while adhering to our core principles.

As a result, we embarked on a journey to once again locate a high quality product from a reliable supplier who embraces the ideals we do. This journey took us out of Paraguay and over to Argentina where we found a local rancher with an exceptional yerba mate who could produce according to our specifications (large leaf cut, minimal sticks/stems). This product is not pure Wild Harvest as it is not grown in the forest, but it is shade grown and certified organic. Additionally, we're proud to be partnering with a rancher who embraces sustainability and actively participates in reforestation programs.

We were also excited to learn the ranch incorporates modern processing methods which result in minimal smokiness and a heightened preservation of all the nutrients you've come to expect from this wonderful plant!

We will maintain our pure leaf yerba mate, reflecting a larger leaf cut with minimal sticks and stems. We will be replacing our Argentine Organic with a new and improved blend called our Bombilla Cut. This was designed to give our gourd-packing customers a product that is more functional and traditionaly used with a gourd and bombilla. It contains roughly 30% sticks and stems which aid in filtering smaller particles and keeping them from being sucked up the bombilla. This is a very smooth, refreshing product.

Our new product is in the warehouse and ready to ship! As part of the celebration, our monthly special will be a discount on the loose... One-pound bag of Aviva Pure Leaf for $12.75 (Regular Price: $17.00) and the one-pound bag of Aviva Bombilla Cut for $8.00 (Regular Price: $9.50).

What does the future hold for Aviva? We spoke with many producers across Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil in our recent quest for a new supplier. The various yerba mate growing regions of South America certainly boast unique characteristics associated with the end product. Ageing practices and processing methods vary greatly. In addition to this ranch in Argentina, we were also introduced to some very intriguing operations in Paraguay and Brazil. There is a potential to bring them online as an Aviva brand in the future. One thing is for sure, however, our pursuit of a new Wild Harvest supplier is not over. Who knows where our journey will take us, but we do know that we will maintain our new-found mission of being purveyors of the highest quality yerba mate South America has to offer. Stick with us, keep reading.. we'll let you know what we uncover..

Aviva + Stevia + Spearmint = Hmmmmm...Good!

Take care and we'll see you in a couple weeks. Don't forget to save on our new Organic Loose products in May. For a list of all our products, our storefront is a great place to start! As always, free shipping on domestic orders over $50 $25.00!!