Imagine a group of professional soccer players sitting together before a game. They’re passing a single cup around in a circle. There is not a rush; no one is reaching for a brightly colored drink. Instead, they are sharing the cup, talking, waiting, and taking a moment together before stepping onto the field.

This is where Shadi Atassi’s story begins.

While playing professional soccer in Argentina, he was introduced to yerba mate. But the introduction was about more than caffeine. In Argentina, yerba mate was seen as part of a routine. It was shared among the players, which helped them maintain an intentional pause before the action truly began. It offered a different kind of relationship with energy, one where energy wasn’t presented as a sprint towards the next energy drink or caffeine fix.

This experience is one that he carried with him as he returned to the United States. In the U.S., he was met with an overload of products that could help people “wake up.” And yet, none of these options considered a simple question: How do you actually want to feel when you’re awake?

The Space Between Tired and Wired

That question eventually led to Milonga Yerba Mate, a functional yerba mate brand working within the growing functional beverage category. The name comes from the traditional Argentine social dance and reflects the sense of balance and connection that helped inspire the company.

The idea behind the company is not simply to add more caffeine to your day. Instead, it reflects a broader shift in how people are thinking about the modern functional energy drink. For some consumers, the question is no longer simply, “What will wake me up?” but “What exactly am I drinking, and what kind of experience am I looking for?”

Think about this: you might start your day with coffee and then reach for another cup around lunchtime. By the time the afternoon arrives, the familiar question returns: do you need another coffee, or are you simply looking for a different way to approach your energy? This is where yerba mate caffeine enters a different kind of conversation: not just about how much caffeine a drink contains, but about the ingredients and experience built around it.

Yerba Mate vs Coffee: Is the Question Really About Choosing One?

The conversation around yerba mate vs coffee often frames the two as competitors, but that may be too simple. Coffee has its own rituals, flavors, traditions, and loyal following. Yerba mate comes with a completely different cultural history and, in Milonga’s case, becomes the foundation for ready-to-drink beverages that combine caffeine with other ingredients.

For someone who already enjoys coffee, trying yerba mate does not necessarily mean replacing their morning cup. It may simply offer another option for those moments when the afternoon energy slump arrives and the usual routine starts to feel repetitive.

Imagine sitting at your desk late in the afternoon, reading the same sentence three times and realizing that another cup of coffee is probably not what you’re craving. You still want something to carry you through the rest of the day, but perhaps you’re looking for a different ritual. That tension helped shape the brand.

The brand has also expanded beyond its original beverage concept, introducing lines built around lion’s mane and cannabis-derived ingredients.

The Mushroom Making Its Way into Your Drink

Yerba mate has been part of South American culture for generations, but the rise of functional mushroom drinks is changing the conversation around what people expect from a beverage.

For people curious about the emerging world of a lion’s mane energy drink, Milonga takes a somewhat different route. Its Lion’s Mane Infused Yerba Mate collection combines brewed organic yerba mate with lion’s mane and L-theanine in a ready-to-drink format.

The line is available in Peach Ginger, Açaí Mint, and Citrus Mango. The ready-to-drink format offers an alternative for people curious about functional mushrooms who aren’t looking to add another supplement to their regimen. They also offer a lion’s mane variety pack as a part of this collection.

In a market increasingly interested in natural energy drinks, Milonga’s approach begins with brewed organic yerba mate and builds outward from there. The Lion’s Mane collection brings together yerba mate-derived caffeine, lion’s mane mushroom extract, and L-theanine in a ready-to-drink format.

There is science that is still developing regarding lion’s mane. A 2023 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study observed 41 healthy young adults who received lion’s mane supplementation either as a single dose or over 28 days. Researchers found a faster response on one cognitive task after the single dose, while other findings were limited or not statistically significant. Researchers note that the findings were preliminary and there are more studies needed.

Lion’s mane should not be viewed as a cure, and it does not guarantee improved focus or cognitive performance. Research is still ongoing, and individual responses to this mushroom extract can vary. The existing human research is interesting, but it remains limited, particularly in healthy adults, so stronger evidence is needed before drawing firm conclusions about cognitive benefits.

Somewhere Between Energy and Experience

Milonga takes an even more unconventional direction with its Cannabis Infused Yerba Mate collection, which blends the brand’s yerba mate base with hemp-derived THC and CBD ingredients available in different strengths. The line features the Cannabis Regular 10 mg, which contains 10 mg of THC, 10 mg of CBD, yerba mate-derived caffeine, and l-theanine.

The flavors include Açaí Mint, Citrus Mango, and Peach Ginger.

While Milonga’s lion’s mane collection belongs to the broader functional beverage conversation, its cannabis-infused line occupies a different category altogether. These products are intended for adult consumers and should be considered according to their labeled cannabinoid content, local laws, and individual circumstances.

Cannabis products might not be suitable for everyone and shouldn’t be presented as medical treatments. Laws, availability, and age requirements for cannabis products can also vary by location, so consumers should review the product label and applicable local requirements before use. The growing world of cannabis-infused beverages is creating products that do not fit neatly into traditional beverage categories. Milonga’s cannabis line reflects that intersection, combining the familiar ritual of a ready-to-drink beverage with an adult-use product experience.

This is important to understand because the cannabis-infused line should be considered from a different perspective compared to the brand’s non-cannabis drinks. While one line focuses on caffeine and functional ingredients, the other leans more towards an alternative experience; however, both drinks are built on the same foundation: yerba mate.

The Circle That Started It All

According to the brand, Milonga currently has more than 250 retail accounts, distribution through KeHE, more than $400,000 in revenue over a 12-month period, and a repeat purchase rate of more than 70%. The company has expanded its retail presence through in-store demos, community events, influencer partnerships, and local activations.

This story began with soccer players gathering around and sharing mate before a game. They were preparing for what was yet to come but also taking an intentional moment before the rush set in. Maybe the