The small company intelligentfood from the canton of Lucerne develops beverages that appeal to the modern consumer. All maté products are freshly brewed and are produced from the company’s own maté cultivation in Puerto Esperanza, Argentina. The company can therefore guarantee a complete control, which is carried out during cultivation and continues until the product is sold.
Please introduce your company in three sentences
We are a small Lucerne-based company that develops beverages that differentiate themselves from the mainstream and sets new relevant accents for modern consumers.
What does a normal working day look like for you?
Although every day is spent in the office (or now, working from home), no two days are the same. Strategic meetings and close exchange with the team at the front line are part of a normal working day. The development of new concepts and the implementation of activities in the team are also part of the agenda. The daily walk to the neighbouring Macchi bakery (breakfast, lunch and snack time) needs mentioning as well.
What is special about your products and their production?
When it comes to the raw material for our mate tea, we leave nothing to chance in our drinks.
Our mate tea comes exclusively from our own mate farm PINDO in Argentina. Our own plant nursery produces small mate seedlings there. This direct contact, without any detours, guarantees full control and traceability as well as the outstanding taste and product characteristics of our mate tea.
Are your products certified? If so, which certifications do they have?
We are of the opinion that fairness and sustainability should not only be a quality label, but a given. As the maté harvest must be brought in by well-trained specialists and is manual labour, all workers are fairly paid and insured. Furthermore, the maté fields are managed sustainably and the local virgin forest is protected. This is what the Pindo seal, which our maté drinks carry, stands for.
Which channels do you use to sell your products?
We sell our products to both the catering trade and the retail trade. Our products are now on selected online platforms as well.
Why did you decide to work with Farmy?
We find the Farmy concept very relevant and important and are proud to be a part of it!
What changes has the crisis brought for your company?
Corona has motivated us to deal proactively and innovatively with unexpected situations and to find new solutions in a relatively short time frame. This was made possible by a highly motivated team, many brainstorming sessions and the creative ideas that emerged. The high motivation and the great cohesion in the team have been further strengthened by the crisis. We are grateful to be able to support our partners in these difficult times with new cooperation concepts, especially in the gastronomy sector.
Do you see any potential or opportunities arising from the crisis?
Absolutely, every crisis can bring opportunities. Flexible, innovative and future-oriented thinking/action is essential. Moving away from fixed and deadlocked structures, “thinking outside the box” is required.
What do you think?