The process of making yerba mate, from when the leaf is cut until it is ready for consumption, is basically separated into two stages: a first in which the "canchada" yerba is obtained, and from this, a second, through which the "elaborated" herb is reached.
All the phases of this yerba mate production process are of great importance in the final quality, since this is a 100% natural product that does not receive any treatment or chemical addition at any stage of its production.
Yerba Canchada’s Obtention
Yerba canchada is called the dry leaf, chopped into pieces of up to 1 cm. Its name derives from the court or wooden floor with perforations where the first grinding was carried out that separated, through the holes, the fragments of leaves, from the thick segments. It was already known and used by the Guarani who called it Mboroviré.
Yerbal
The seedlings are transplanted into red soil, rich in iron, with contour lines, organic nutrients and natural green cover, free of agrochemicals.
Harvest
The harvest consists of the careful cutting of the branches laden with leaves. Ensuring rapid transport to our drying plants, to avoid wilting them.
Canchado
Coarse shredding that conditions the process to be loaded into sacks of natural fiber (jute), labeled with the date of entry and indication of origin.
Elabortaded yerba mate
The elaborated yerba mate is obtained through a process called “beneficiamiento”. The stages of this process vary according to the preferences of each market but generally begins with the purging of the imperfections, the screening and the passage of the yerba mate through sieves to eliminate any possible rest of earth, stones or any impurity that could have sneaked into the previous processes.
This is followed by the mincing of the blade in mills and the separation of the different finenesses, since the blades are cut into different sizes or meshes. Later, it is the turn of obtaining the gum of the mate, which is the finest component of the yerba, which gives the mate a foam, a mild bitter taste and a longer duration to the barley.
Drying
The process of drying the leaf. Leaf dehydration to extract moisture.
Grinding
Both the blade and the stick and other components are separated in special screens that are classified and ground.
Packing
It is the final process, the last phase of the yerba production process. Like the previous stages, it must be done with great care so that the packaging has all the qualities that the company requires for its product.