Nightwatch’ sustainable supply chain

Several years ago (2015), we started working with an Amazonian tribe in Ecuador called the Quechua. The Quechua communities were among the first ever to come across the guayusa plant and discover the extreme energetic properties that it contains. Together with these communities, we set up a forestry project to grow and harvest guayusa leaves without encroaching on the forest. To make sure the cultivation of guayusa is done sustainably, we are collaborating with the students from the local university for agriculture ICIAM to teach them efficient growing methods and about sustainable farming and reforestation.

The Quechua have extensive knowledge of their jungle and because of the collaboration, they can now profit from their herbs. At Nightwatch, we maintain a fair chain philosophy, meaning that we pay more than the market price. This helps to keep the price at a high level and maintains happy suppliers and fair wage for the Quechua.

While working together, we find it important to work on things like reforestation but also education. In order to do so, we organise Community Days together where we dance, drink and talk about these social- and environmental subjects. ‘Nightwatch aware’, as we call these gatherings, addresses important topics such as pollution and child labor. By working together with Yanapuma and Project Ecuador, we support the aid to make it possible for every child to have a roof over its head and that Spanish schools are being set up in the region. We emphasise the importance of documenting their ancient knowledge so it can be passed on to the younger and generations to come. It also helps to improve the level of farming even further.

After the guayusa leaves have been harvested, they are cleansed, inspected and transported to Quito. In Quito the leaves are dried with a unique low temperature drying process, to ensure the mild taste and the preservation of the high content of  xanthines ( caffeine , theobromine ,l-theanine  and guanidine) in the leaves.