METE conceived from humble beginnings, invite-only, beverage

Drink brand now expands, sells well and goes national across the UAE

What began as an invite-only curiosity has become one of the UAE’s most talked-about emerging beverages, and it’s now going national, the brand revealed in a press notification.

Over the past year, METE introduced thousands of consumers across the UAE to sparkling yerba maté through a series of invite-only drops. Bottles sold out repeatedly, demand consistently outpaced supply, and a loyal following formed around a brand most people had never heard of a year earlier.

That underground momentum is now expanding into full national availability. METE is rolling out through select retailers including major petrol station networks, ADNOC, and Emarat, and specialized retail network, Lebanese Roasters and Lifco, and online platforms, Noon, Deliveroo, Amazon, – putting the brand within reach of consumers across the country for the first time.

Expansion

The expansion reflects a broader shift already underway across the United States and Europe, where yerba maté has become a go-to choice for entrepreneurs, creatives, athletes, and students seeking alternatives to sugary sodas, synthetic energy drinks, and excessive coffee consumption. Dubai is now experiencing the same shift, with METE positioned at its center, the press statement continued.

Few, if any, all-natural beverages are produced in the region. This creates a compelling opportunity as a growing number of health-conscious consumers seek products made with real ingredients, natural or no sweeteners, and no preservatives.

The carefully controlled rollout was not a marketing tactic but a practical response to the limited manufacturing capabilities for all-natural beverages and foods across the Middle East. Producing authentic yerba maté tea requires brewing real maté leaves rather than relying on synthetic flavors or extracts.

Manufacturing capacity

To support its national expansion, METE must now increase its manufacturing capacity and adapt existing production processes—while remaining true to its promise of delivering genuinely cold-brewed yerba maté tea.

“Even with wider distribution, METE is scaling deliberately. Releases will continue in controlled waves as production ramps to meet demand, preserving the same quality and availability discipline that built the brand’s early following,” affirmed Fabian Dagostin, CEO and Co-Founder, METE.