The birth of Isondú Yerba Mate
Isondú was born in the city of Oberá, province of Misiones, Argentina. The Yerba Mate secadero (place where mate is dried) of Oberá, which was used successfully for production several decades ago by the grandfather and father of one of its partners, is currently out of service, and “waiting” to start back up. The rich family history related to the production of Yerba Mate, coupled with the desire to introduce high-quality artisan products to the market inspired the birth of Isondú.
The meaning of the name Isondú, is “bichito de luz” or “firefly” in the Guaraní language. Guaraní is characteristically spoken in Misiones, Corrientes and the Republic of Paraguay.
Yerba Mate and communication
For Isondú, brand communication is of chief importance. Our products must not only remain in good quality, but also convey stories that people can identify with. Our packaging and our communication in social media and points of sale are taken with careful thought in order to maximize the positive impact we have on the public. Marketing, advertising and graphic design of our products are carried out by ourselves, not a paid agency. Our passion is Yerba Mate and communication.
In addition to bringing people to our products, Isondú wants to introduce the culture of the Misiones to the entire country, spreading the customs, people and their landscapes. A brand that truly understands itself is proud of where it comes from, as well as where it’s going.
The tradition of the Guaraní
The project was born in 2014. After much work and many formalities, Isondú launched Isondú Barbacuá in July 2016 at the Roads and Tastes Fair in Buenos Aires. In March 2017, we released Isondú Orgánica, which is our official organic blend of Yerba Mate.
The dried barbacuá blend is dried artisanally, which was the first technique ever used for the drying of Yerba Mate. It was the Guaranís who implemented it centuries ago. This type of drying gives a particular taste to the Yerba Mate, which differentiates it from the traditional version. Additionally, Isondú Barbacuá is stored for two years, making the maturation process more natural than many conventional methods. This process respects the ancient traditions and makes a higher quality product. One benefit of this, among many, is that it doesn’t produce acidity.
Isondú Orgánica is free of agrotoxins and agrochemicals, which is certified by a third-party institution. In the case of our organic blend, we implement a drying process known as cinta (tape), and also respects the two-year storage duration.
The future of Isondú Yerba Mate
Isondú participates in many natural product fairs, including the Buenos Aires Market, Road and Flavors and Buenos Aires Celebrates the regions, among others. The importance of being at these fairs is to make our products known, and they’re good places where people can discover richer, more high-quality products than the ones they may be familiar with in local supermarkets.
People who purchase our products quickly fall in love with them; they’re already sold in natural and regional stores in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe and Chubut, among others. The idea is to keep growing and reach more places in Argentina, and then onwards to other countries!
Please feel free to visit our website and social media channels to find out more about Isondú. We’re on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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