Buenos Aires, March 12 (NA) – In news that is set to make a significant impact in the yerba mate sector, the Brazilian company Baldo has reportedly almost finalized an agreement with the AFA to become the official sponsor of the Argentine national team before and during the FIFA World Cup 2026. It is worth recalling that, as reported by the Argentine News Agency at the time, the national team brought kilograms of Canarias yerba mate to Qatar, which is produced by the Brazilian company Baldo. The next World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The mate that Messi and 'Dibu' drink
From the company, they indicated that one of the main objectives of the agreement is to officially link the brand with some of the most popular players on the Argentine squad. 'Baldo is the mate that Messi and Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez drink, but we couldn't use it for advertising due to image rights issues. Additionally, it also produces the well-known brand Canarias, a leader in the Uruguayan market. During the FIFA World Cup 2022, the Canarias brand generated great buzz when images of the Argentine players carrying that yerba in their suitcases went viral. Currently, Baldo has a presence in Argentine stores and is estimated to dispatch around 250,000 kilograms per month. The company is based in the city of Encantado, with a processing plant in Canoinhas and plantations in the state of Paraná. An interesting fact is that more than half of Baldo's packaging is produced in Argentina, in a plant located in Leandro N. Alem.
'Now we really want to accompany Messi in his last World Cup,' company sources indicated, according to the Misiones-based site Plan B. If the agreement is confirmed, the brand could use the logo, name, and various assets of the national team, and even the images of some players, depending on the final scope of the contract. Among the figures associated with mate consumption are the Argentine captain, Lionel Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami, and the world champion goalkeeper, Emiliano Martínez.
Impact on the Argentine yerba mate sector
The possible sponsorship of Baldo also generates concern within the Argentine yerba mate sector, which is facing difficulties and has historical disputes over the price of raw materials. Despite Argentina being the world's main producer, consumer, and exporter of yerba mate, several analysts point out that the local industry has not developed global marketing strategies at the same pace as the international growth of the drink. Meanwhile, Brazilian companies have advanced with a more aggressive international positioning strategy.
A brand with an increasing presence in Argentina
Baldo is one of the main yerba mate companies in Brazil and one of the strongest in terms of exports.
