The New Line
Saint James Iced Tea is stepping outside its core ready-to-drink tea portfolio for the first time, launching Saint James Yerba Mate in three flavors — Mango Passionfruit, Raspberry Lemon, and Strawberry Tangerine. Each 16 oz. aluminum bottle delivers 150mg of natural caffeine, 20–25 calories, and 3–4g of sugar, positioning the SKUs squarely in the better-for-you energy segment that has been gaining shelf space in c-store coolers alongside established yerba mate players.
The product is certified organic and non-GMO. Leaves are sourced from the yerba mate plant (ilex paraguariensis) in South America and contain a naturally occurring combination of caffeine, polyphenols, and theobromine — the same stimulant compound found in cacao — which the brand says produces a smoother, longer-lasting lift than synthetic caffeine blends. Brenden Cohen, co-founder and co-CEO of Saint James Iced Tea, called the extension "the next logical step" for a brand whose consumers already treat the iced tea line as a daily staple.
Distribution and Retail
Saint James Yerba Mate is live now on Amazon and at SaintJamesIcedTea.com at $39.99 for a 12-pack, with brick-and-mortar distribution expanding through Kroger and Albertsons banners. The brand expects retail placement to exceed 7,500 doors by year-end 2026. That build-out sits on top of a broader footprint that already spans more than 25,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada — a distribution base the brand reached while reporting 164% year-over-year growth as of August 2026.
The growth trajectory has been accelerating. Earlier in August, Saint James launched a Costco-exclusive variety pack featuring its Red Raspberry and Classic Mango black teas. Separately, the brand locked in a nationwide foodservice partnership with fast-casual chain Just Salad, placing its traditional tea flavors in all 120 U.S. locations. For c-store buyers evaluating the yerba mate category, the Costco and foodservice moves signal a brand building toward mainstream velocity — not just specialty-channel sampling.
Marketing and Packaging
To drive trial, Saint James is running its first multi-celebrity national campaign, featuring NHL star Jack Hughes, former NFL wide receiver and media personality Victor Cruz, and entrepreneur Isabela Rangel Grutman. Out-of-home placements, consumer sampling, and college ambassador activations are slated to continue through fall 2026. The campaign's everyday-performance framing — gym sessions, business meetings, busy parenting schedules — aligns with messaging strategies that have worked for competing dispensed beverage and packaged energy brands targeting the 18–34 convenience shopper.
The Yerba Mate line also debuts a redesigned green and chrome bottle using the brand's existing 100% recyclable and resealable aluminum format, a packaging detail that c-store operators have flagged as increasingly relevant to younger shoppers. Co-CEO Brad Neumann noted that the three celebrity partners were chosen precisely because their daily routines look different from one another — an acknowledgment that the yerba mate consumer occasion spans morning commutes, afternoon slumps, and late-night study sessions, all high-frequency c-store visits.
With the yerba mate segment continuing to attract new entrants and shelf-space competition intensifying in the energy and enhanced-beverage aisle, Saint James is betting that its organic credentials and existing distribution muscle — backed by co-founder John M. Ferolito, who also co-founded AriZona Iced Tea — give it a credible path to capture repeat c-store ring.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
