Guayusa (Ilex guayusa), is a native Amazonian tree leaf that is brewed like tea, and has been treasured by indigenous communities as a natural source of energy and nutrition for centuries. Traditionally, Amazonian Kichwa families gather at dawn to drink guayusa from gourds around a communal fire. They come together during these early morning hours to share dreams, music, and myths 

Aliados partners with Ally Guayusa - an indigenous owned community enterprise - with the goal to produce organic guayusa for the international market. The indigenous producer enterprise is owned by 103 Kichwa families located in the Orellana Province in the Ecuadorian Amazon, combining a long-standing cultural relationship with guayusa and community pride into a business that improves livelihoods and conserves Amazon forest. Guayusa’s introduction to the market is recent (2009), and despite early strong growth, has been impacted by the pandemic. Aliados is now also working with Ally Guayusa to diversity their product line, including muru inchi and coffee, to strengthen the community enterprise’s resilience to market fluctuations.