Lionel Messi’s Favorite Drink ‘Yerba Mate’ Gains Popularity in China

The South American beverage ‘Yerba Mate’ is gaining popularity not only in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil but also increasingly in China. Statistics show an 88 percent increase in export volumes from Argentina to China since 2021. World-renowned footballer Lionel Messi, among other athletes, has helped promote this drink beyond South America. Kathmandu, June 13.

In recent years, the consumption of ‘Ilex paraguariensis,’ known as ‘Yerba Mate’ in South America, has spread beyond the borders of Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. Now, this beverage is also favored in China. Football players and other athletes have played a significant role in popularizing Yerba Mate on a global scale, not just within South America. Wherever World Cup winner Lionel Messi goes, he is seen carrying Yerba Mate with him.

Juan Luis Lorenzo, a local producer involved in the direct export of Yerba Mate to China, stated, “Exports have nearly doubled since last year.” It is not only Lorenzo’s cooperative but Argentina as a whole that has seen increased exports of Yerba Mate to China. According to Argentina’s National Institute of Statistics, exports to China have increased by 88 percent since 2021. In the first quarter of 2026 alone, Argentina exported approximately 214,000 kilograms of Yerba Mate to China.