Popular influencer bets big on coffee alternative (that Starbucks doesn't have)

Coffee culture is certainly nothing new to the U.S., particularly near big cities where commuters in bustling job markets rely on a daily jolt of caffeine to complete their tasks. 

But iteration and experimentation with the dark stuff is something newer entirely; at Starbucks  (SBUX) - Get Free Report alone there are over 87,000 drink combinations you can try to achieve the perfect cup. 

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Some of the most popular cups of coffee you'll see on the streets include iced coffee (yes, even in the depths of winter), cafe lattes with all sorts of trendy milk alternatives, and increasingly, matcha tea lattes, hailed for their potential health benefits and less-jittery buzzes.

Matcha's rising popularity and acceptance into the mainstream, particularly on wellness platforms like Instagram and TikTok, is interesting because it's one of the first drinks to chip away at coffee's stronghold on the U.S. populace. In 2024, the global matcha market size is about $4.25 billion. But it's expected to grow to $6.68 billion in just five years. 

This rapid growth rate is impressive in its own right, but it's also made many caffeine enthusiasts more open to other coffee alternatives. Matcha is beloved for its bright green flavor and presence of l-theanine, which is said to counteract the jitters and crash you might get from a regular cup of coffee. But why stop at matcha when there's a world potentially filled with other caffeinated wonder drinks? 

Wellness influencer bets big on coffee alternative

One of the fastest growing drinks in the U.S., particularly among young people, is yerba mate. Originally a South American drink, the steeped dry leaf herbal tea is a powerful alternative to coffee because, if it's steeped the right way, it can contain more caffeine than coffee. But like matcha, drinkers say it doesn't deliver the crash and jitters that coffee might. 

Stanford neurologist and popular podcaster Andrew Huberman, who hosts the "Huberman Lab Podcast," has been a proponent of yerba mate for years, claiming it's one of the healthiest and effective drinks for productivity and focus. 

"I have been drinking Yerba Mate for 45 years, so I’m delighted to be a partial owner of @yerbamateina and to have developed a zero sugar cold brew canned version; current consumption: 3 per morning. (Non-smoked) yerba mate is the healthiest and best source of caffeine for energy," he told his 1.2 million Twitter followers in late January. 

I have been drinking Yerba Mate for 45 years, so I’m delighted to be a partial owner of @yerbamateina and to have developed a zero sugar cold brew canned version; current consumption: 3 per morning. (Non-smoked) yerba mate is the healthiest and best source of caffeine for energy. pic.twitter.com/owj8OYyz2E— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) January 27, 2024

Huberman and Canadian holding company Tiny are teaming up to take their new majority-owned yerba mate brand, Mateina to the masses; it will be available to U.S. drinkers in January. Notably, the brand offers a sugar-free option, which is a frequent demand from drinkers who say popular yerba mate cans are too sweet. A popular brand sold at Whole Foods, for example, contains nearly 30 grams of sugar per 16 ounce can. 

"Yerba mate has been my preferred source of caffeine for more than three decades," Huberman said of the deal. "I often discuss yerba mate's health benefits — emphasizing its high antioxidant content, its role in managing blood sugar, and its possible neuroprotective effects. Collaborating with Mateina to develop a non-smoked, sugar-free version of cold pressed yerba mate was a thrill and I’m so excited to be able to share this drink with the world. I see it as a truly peerless beverage in terms of its positive effects on mind and body."

Currently, Starbucks does not carry a yerba mate beverage, though it offered a blend via its Teavana line in 2016. Now that it's growing in popularity and hitting the mainstream, it may have to reconsider bringing the drink back as mainstream consumers venture into previously untapped territories.