Argentina takes yerba mate produced in Brazil to the World Cup and irritates the crowd

On the eve of the World Cup, even the choice of mate is capable of stirring spirits in Argentina and intensifying rivalries with neighboring countries.

The controversy in question began at the beginning of the month, with the dissemination of an image on social networks. In it, there is a box of goods that the Argentine delegation decided to take to the World Cup in Qatar.

What caught the attention was the presence of at least ten packets of yerba mate Canarias, a traditional brand in the Uruguayan market.

Quickly, part of the Argentines started to question the choice with the argument that the product does not have a direct connection with the country of Lionel Messi.

The curious thing is that, despite Canarias being a consolidated brand among Uruguayans, production is made in the southern region of Brazil.

The responsible manufacturer is Baldo, from the municipality of Encantado (140 km from Porto Alegre).

In recent months, the city of 23,000 inhabitants has gained the spotlight with the construction of a Christ the Protector statue larger than the famous Rio de Janeiro statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Baldo became the majority shareholder of Canarias in 1998, according to information available on the company’s website, which chose not to comment on the unusual situation involving the Argentine national team.

The manufacturer also has production units in Santa Catarina and Paraná, in addition to a structure in Uruguay, where the brand’s merchandise is distributed.

The neighboring country is dependent on imports of mate herb – or chimarrão, as the drink is called in southern Brazil.

The uproar over the choice of the Argentine delegation involved producers and even local politicians. Former deputy Luis Mario Pastori used social media to complain.

“Unusual and inexplicable. There are dozens of very good mate brands in Argentina, produced in Misiones and Corrientes. However, the selection takes a Uruguayan brand to Qatar. Is there any official explanation? It’s almost a provocation”, he said.

It fell to a communication advisor from the AFA (Argentine Football Association) to try to calm the mood.

He posted on social networks a photo of a box with packages of mate Playadito, from Argentina, which would also accompany the selection in the World Cup.

“There’s something for everyone, don’t get upset, guys,” he wrote in the caption of the image.

For Uruguayans, Canarias “is like religion”, says Pedro Schwengber, in reference to the fact that the brand is traditional in the country’s market.

Schwengber is the executive director of Instituto Escola do Chimarrão, in the municipality of Venâncio Aires (130 km from Porto Alegre), in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The entity, created in 2004, seeks to encourage the culture of drinking.

According to Schwengber, the appreciated characteristics of yerba mate change according to the region. In southern Brazil, production for consumption is usually faster, which ensures a greener color. “The guidance we give is for consumption to follow the date of manufacture. The younger, the better”, he says.

In Uruguay and Argentina, the product is usually consumed after a slower process until the companies leave. The prolonged period guarantees a more yellowish color for the herb, and not so green, in addition to a more bitter taste for the mate, indicates Schwengber.