Yerba Madre's New CEO: Can a Nike Vet Scale Authenticity?

OAKLAND, Calif. and LOS ANGELES – July 21, 2026 – In a move signaling a decisive shift from operational consolidation to aggressive brand expansion, Yerba Madre, the nation's leading yerba mate company, has handed the reins to veteran brand-builder Steve Lesnard. The appointment of the former Nike and The North Face executive as CEO is more than just a leadership shuffle; it’s a strategic bet that a brand built on regenerative agriculture and Indigenous partnerships can be scaled into a mainstream beverage powerhouse without losing its soul.

The transition marks the end of a critical, if less glamorous, chapter for the company formerly known as Guayakí. Outgoing CEO Ben Mand, who now moves to an advisory role, spent his tenure in the trenches, undertaking the foundational work necessary to prepare the 30-year-old pioneer for its next act. Now, with a sturdier operational platform in place, the board has tapped one of its own—Lesnard was already a director—to press the accelerator. The question hanging in the balance is a familiar one in the world of conscious capitalism: can a company scale its profits without diluting its purpose?

The Foundation is Set. Now, The Race for Growth.

To understand where Yerba Madre is going, one must first appreciate where it has been. Ben Mand’s leadership was defined by a deliberate, and necessary, focus on the company's internal machinery. He inherited a brand with a devoted following but an operational structure struggling to keep pace with its own growth potential.

Under Mand's oversight, the company executed a sweeping overhaul of its supply chain and co-manufacturing relationships—a complex task for a business sourcing its core ingredient directly from 257 Indigenous and farmer families across the South American Atlantic Forest. He orchestrated a pivotal shift away from a cumbersome self-distribution model, forging regional distribution partnerships to more efficiently service its 45,000 retail locations. This move alone is a classic CPG play to unlock scalability and market penetration.

Perhaps his most visible achievement was shepherding the brand's sensitive transition from Guayakí to Yerba Madre in 2025. The name change was more than a cosmetic update; it was a deliberate effort to honor the product's cultural roots—"Yerba Madre" paying tribute to Mother Earth and the ancestral wisdom of its cultivators—while creating a brand more accessible to a wider North American audience. Mand’s work, as one industry analyst noted, was about "installing the modern plumbing and wiring in a beautiful, historic house." The foundation is now fortified, the systems are upgraded, and the stage is set for a new phase focused squarely on brand awareness and consumer acquisition.

A Brand-Builder for a Mission-Driven Brand

Enter Steve Lesnard. His resume reads like a playbook for building and scaling iconic global brands. At Nike, he was a key figure in the growth of its running and women's categories, helping launch category-defining innovations like Nike+ and the Vaporfly running shoe. He then took his expertise to The North Face, where he served as CMO, and later to leadership roles at Sephora and Godiva.

This is not a leader brought in to simply maintain the status quo. Lesnard’s career is defined by a pattern of leveraging deep consumer insights and data to drive product innovation and build powerful brand narratives. At Sephora, he championed an omnichannel strategy built on personalization. At The North Face, he leaned into the brand's authentic purpose of exploration, connecting product functionality with a powerful emotional message.

His appointment is a clear signal that Yerba Madre’s board believes the brand is ready for its mainstream moment. "He has spent his career building brands people love—and scaling them while preserving their authenticity," said Emily White, Chairman of the Board, in the official announcement. "That is exactly the balance our brand requires." Lesnard’s experience suggests a strategy that will likely involve more sophisticated digital marketing, broader storytelling beyond the niche, and potentially product innovations that make yerba mate more accessible to new consumers. His challenge will be to apply the high-octane growth tactics of a Nike or Sephora to a company whose very identity is rooted in slow, patient, regenerative processes.

The Conscious Growth Conundrum

Herein lies the central tension of Yerba Madre's next chapter. The company is not just a beverage maker; it is a B Corp and the first yerba mate company to achieve Regenerative Organic Certified® (ROC) Gold status. These are not mere marketing badges. ROC Gold certification represents a rigorous commitment across three pillars: soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. It means the company is actively measured on its efforts to restore ecosystems and ensure fair wages and conditions for its farmer partners.

The company's entire business model, dubbed "Market Driven Regeneration™," is predicated on the idea that every can sold contributes directly to restoring the Atlantic Forest. This is the authentic core that Lesnard must protect. Aggressive growth brings immense pressure on supply chains. A push for lower costs can strain relationships with small-scale farmers. A drive for mass-market appeal can sometimes sand down the unique, quirky edges that create a cult following in the first place.

Can Yerba Madre rapidly expand its sourcing from the Atlantic Forest while maintaining ROC Gold standards? Will new distribution partners share the company's deep-seated values? These are the complex questions Lesnard will face on day one. His success will be measured not just in quarterly sales growth, but in his ability to prove that the company's economic engine and its ecological mission can be scaled in tandem.

Navigating a Crowded, Thirsty Market

The timing for this strategic pivot could not be more opportune, or more challenging. The functional beverage market is booming, with consumers actively seeking natural, plant-based energy sources that offer more than just a caffeine jolt. Yerba mate, with its unique blend of stimulants, antioxidants, and a rich cultural history, is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this trend.

However, the cooler aisle is a battlefield. Yerba Madre is not just competing with other, smaller mate brands. It is fighting for shelf space against a dizzying array of cold brew coffees, artisanal teas, kombuchas, and a new wave of "clean" energy drinks. To win, the company needs more than a great product and a compelling mission; it needs flawless execution, widespread availability, and a brand story that cuts through the noise.

The strategic addition of Scott Miller, CEO of YESLY Water and a veteran of beverage giants like Keurig Dr Pepper, to the Board of Directors underscores this focus on execution. Miller's deep distribution experience complements Lesnard's brand-building prowess, creating a leadership team squarely focused on conquering the North American market. Yerba Madre's journey from a niche, mission-driven upstart to a potential mainstream contender is a fascinating case study in the evolution of modern business, and under Lesnard, its most decisive chapter is just beginning.