Yerba Mate Buyer - Purchasing Director Peace Cafe Yerba mate (pronounced yer-ba mah-tay) is a tea made from the leaves and stems of the mate tree that grows in the subtropical rainforests of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. It has been revered for centuries in South America as the "drink of the gods" and is enjoyed for optimum health, sustained energy, and mental clarity. Yerba mate is now becoming a popular drink in the United States because of its fine taste and nutritional qualities. The leaves naturally contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and abundant antioxidants all of which contribute to the "good energy" people feel when drinking yerba mate. Many coffee drinkers have switched to yerba mate tea as a healthier alternative that still makes them feel alert and energized. Yerba mate has become particularly popular among college students, who not only like its stimulant value but also its health benefits. You are the purchasing director for the Peace Cafe, which operates eight cafes in and around the University of California, Berkeley campus. The Peace Cafe is known for serving organic and Fair Trade* certified coffee and other products that are attractive to the community it serves. You have decided to start selling yerba mate teas. The initial purchase will be of the refrigerated bottled drinks, and if they prove popular, you will consider buying other yerba mate products, such as tea leaves to brew hot drinks. You would like to buy the yerba mate bottled drinks from the Guayaki Company, since it supplies seven different yerba mate drinks with revolutionary "fusion" flavors such as Pomegranate Clarity, Peach Immune Support and Citrus Stamina. Guayaki is known for its commitment to the conservation of rainforests and its partnership with small farmers and indigenous communities. The Guayaki products are great tasting and the company's social and environmental mission is consistent with the Peace Cafe's founding values. Guayaki products are organic and Fair Trade certified - designations that are very important to marketing a new product in the Berkeley community. You are planning to purchase 500 cases of yerba mate drinks. You know that larger retail stores can get a discount on their orders. Hopefully, Guayaki will do the same for the Peace Cafe because they surely are interested in getting their product on the Berkeley campus. The Guayaki brand typically retails from $2.00 to $2.50 a bottle. Although you would like to purchase the bottled drinks from Guayaki, you do have other possible suppliers (see description below). Company Average Wholesale Prices Comments for 500 Cases Guayaki $9,000 ($1.50 per bottle) 7 flavors, organic and Fair Trade certified, sourced by partners in South America, bottled in USA Vitale Mate $8,400 ($1.40 per bottle) 3 flavors-traditional, lemon and mint; organic and Fair Trade certified; sourced in Brazil, bottled in USA Only 1 flavor and non-organic ingredients used to Enerva $7,500 ($1.25 per bottle) enhance stimulant effects; unknown source, bottled in USA