Asunción, Agencia IP.- Paraguay delivered an outstanding performance at the Yerba Mate World Championship. This international competition awarded a total of 313 medals and, for the first time, was dedicated exclusively to evaluating yerba mate as the central product. This was highlighted by Jennifer Sneider, a member of the event’s jury, during her appearance on the program Tribuna, broadcast on Paraguay TV.
Sneider explained that the competition is a milestone in the sector, as it is the first world championship focused exclusively on yerba mate, unlike other international competitions dedicated to wine, coffee, or tea. In this context, she highlighted that the event was promoted by key figures in the productive sector to strengthen the identity associated with Ilex paraguariensis.
The juror noted that the samples are evaluated using a technical blind-tasting system. «What we do is score the samples blind,» she said, explaining that jurors receive the samples without knowing the brand of the product, ensuring impartiality in the process.
According to her explanation, the evaluation process begins by verifying compliance with the producer’s description. «For example, this yerba mate arrives at us; we don’t know the brand, but the producer… registers it as a coarse-cut yerba mate, without stems, without dust,» she noted.
The analysis then continues with the observation of the infusion and the sensory evaluation of the product. «This is brewed; we look at the color of the infusion, and then we prepare it like mate and taste it to see the balance and how it performs with each infusion,» she explained.
Based on these criteria, samples are classified into the following award categories: grand gold, gold, silver, and bronze. «Depending on the score, it falls into grand gold, gold, silver, or bronze,» Sneider specified.
In Paraguay’s case, participation was especially outstanding, with medals won across multiple categories and disciplines. «We won awards in all categories,» said the juror, highlighting the diversity of innovations presented by national companies.
Among the evaluated products were blended yerba mates, special infusions, and innovative developments such as chocolate-based combinations, yerba mate-based liqueurs, and even new non-aged variants. Products such as San José yerba mate were also highlighted, receiving a grand gold award in a blended category featuring natural herbs like mint and lemon verbena, without artificial flavorings.
During the interview, the growing international interest in yerba mate derivatives was highlighted, along with its potential for expansion into new markets and industrial uses beyond traditional consumption.
In parallel, the program Tribuna marked another relevant milestone for the national industry: the first export of a distilled beverage made from cassava to Taiwan, under the Emperatriz Cassava brand.
This product, produced in Arroyos y Esteros, was developed from fermented cassava starch, resulting in a distilled beverage with 42% alcohol. «It is the first cassava-based distilled spirit in the world, created in Paraguay,» they noted during the interview.
The product, which does not fit into traditional categories such as gin or rum, was named «Cassava» and aims to position itself as an innovation in the premium alcoholic beverage segment. Its development reportedly took several years and has already achieved its first international export.
The first shipment consists of 700 bottles destined for the Asian market, following the company’s participation in the Food Taipei fair and the establishment of contacts with regional importers. «In our first participation, we closed that export,» they noted, highlighting the negotiation and product validation process.
The producers explained that interest in the Asian market stems from a preference for high-alcohol beverages and innovative flavors, which has allowed the product to position itself as an exotic and differentiated offering.
The program concluded by emphasizing that both Paraguay’s performance at the Yerba Mate World Championship and the export of the cassava beverage reflect a moment of expansion and innovation for the country’s agro-industrial sector, with increasing presence in international markets and the development of new value-added products.