Most people can name coffee and tea as caffeine sources, but botanically speaking, truly caffeinated plants used for beverages are a surprisingly small club.
Coffee, our dominant global caffeine source, is also under pressure as a crop: its relatively shallow genetic base leaves it vulnerable to disease, climate stress, and price volatility along the value chain.
This combination of biological and economic fragility is pushing growers, brands, and formulators to look more seriously at alternative caffeine-bearing species.
When most people hear “Holly,” they think of glossy leaves and red berries on Christmas wreaths, not everyday beverages or pharmacology. Yet several Holly (Ilex) species have long histories as stimulating drinks, traditional medicines, and even raw material for tools and ceremonial implements in Indigenous cultures.
➡️ That is where the “3 Caffeinated Hollys” come in: Yerba Mate, Guayusa, and Yaupon represent distinct cultural traditions and ecologies across the Americas, yet all share this rare trait of naturally concentrated caffeine and a deep record of human use.
Check out this carousel post on an introduction to the Caffeinated Hollys (on LinkedIn):
The 3 Caffeinated Hollys 🌿
