ShareA dallah of Arabic coffee at a family gathering, an iced Americano at a work meeting, a Spanish latte or a flat white on a date with a friend – coffee is at the center of most social gatherings in Kuwait. So when Maria Lucia Sanchez walked into her Kuwaiti friend’s family gathering with a gourd of mate, everyone was puzzled, to say the least.
“There’s an expression that says that Uruguayans are born with a thermos under their arm,” said Sanchez, who goes by Lucia. She’s referring to a thermos of hot water, an indispensable companion for mate drinkers. The caffeinated herbal tea is made by steeping the leaves and twigs of the yerba mate plant in hot water, and is consumed across South America for its health benefits. It’s heavily featured in South American pop culture, with numerous tango songs and folktales woven around it.
Like many Uruguayans, Sanchez has been drinking mate all her life. It’s so ubiquitous in the second smallest country in South America that “you cannot not see it,” she says. “You get off the plane at the airport, people will be waiting for their families with it.”
Seeing people carry their mate everywhere was a culture shock for Kuwaiti Fatima Alebrahim, who first met Sanchez while working for the same company in Uruguay. But there was something familiar about how the drink brought people of all ages together. “I didn’t know about it in Kuwait. It wasn’t popular at all. But there, everyone was into it,” she said. “It’s like the national drink. You know how we serve coffee here, Arabic coffee or tea? Over there its mate.” A few years later, Alebrahim partnered up with Sanchez to introduce people in Kuwait to the drink. “I was pretty overwhelmed by how interested people can be ... not only interested but passionate. We have customers that bought, I don’t know how many (mate) cups and honestly you only need one,” said Sanchez.
Searching for the right mate
Sanchez moved to Kuwait in 2020, on the cusp of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health restrictions meant she couldn’t go out for nearly her first two years in the country. Away from her family and unable to meet new people, Sanchez was yearning for a piece from home, and mate was the closest she could get.
“Mate is kind of a companion. You prep it, you wait for it, you drink it, then when you’re done, you have to clean it, you have to make sure it’s fine. It’s like taking care of a little pet,” said Sanchez.
But the mate sold in Kuwait was different from what she was used to in Uruguay, she soon realized. Brands available locally are made according to the style enjoyed in Syria and Lebanon, where the drink became popular after waves of immigration to South America in the 19th and 20th centuries. The leaves are quite big. There is also less powder and more stems in the tea compared to the Uruguayan variety, which changes the flavor.
After searching high and low to no avail, Alebrahim encouraged Sanchez to start a business importing South American yerba mate. Since then, the pair have brought several varieties of the herbal tea and have participated in many fairs to promote their products. “Kuwait is a cool place to do business. They really help out small businesses. ... And people here are super interested in cultural things,” said Sanchez. They’ve had all sorts of customers, but students and people interested in sports stand out. Mate is famous among football players, with many stars such as Messi and Suarez photographed carrying the drink. It’s enjoyed by students because its caffeine content helps them stay up late to get work done, said Sanchez.
Home away from home
After a few years of selling mate online and at sporadic events, Sanchez and Alebrahim wanted more interaction with people. So in June, they set up shop at Barayeh Salem. The cozy space is lined with shelves of mate equipment that the pair collected during their travels around the world. A 100-year-old mate cup with gold and silver embellishments was proudly displayed - it was an heirloom that Sanchez inherited from her grandfather.
You don’t have to be a mate expert to visit Mate Republic. The pair host free open houses for anyone interested in trying the drink, where they explain everything you need to know about preparing and consuming it. The space has also served as a home away from home where people come to make new friends. Some visitors spend hours chatting on couches strategically placed next to a big window overlooking the busy pedestrian-only street.
Although it’s not the obvious choice for most young entrepreneurs in Kuwait, Barayeh Salem has proven to be the perfect spot for Mate Republic. The diversity and relaxed vibe dominating the street matches the shop’s concept perfectly, said Sanchez. While some find Mate Republic through Instagram, Sanchez was amazed that others find out about them only through seeing the store window, located on the mezzanine floor. Regardless, finding a community in a foreign country and sharing mate with others has been life-changing. “When I just came here, I was absolutely lost. ... But I believe in myself now. Kuwait has made me a more confident and independent woman,” Sanchez said.
For more information on Mate Republic, you can visit their Instagram @materepublickw
