Materva facts for kids
Can and glass of Materva, showing the color of the drink
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| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Owner | Cawy Bottling Co. |
| Country | Cuba |
| Introduced | United States, Canada, Spain |
| Previous owners | 1920 – Materva Soft Drink Company |
Materva is a popular soft drink that tastes like mate. It was first made in Cuba before the Cuban Revolution. Since the 1960s, it has been produced in Miami by the Cawy Bottling Company.
Contents
What is Materva?
Materva is a fizzy drink made from yerba mate. Yerba mate is a special tea popular in countries like Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil. While regular mate tea can be a bit bitter, Materva is sweet. People often say it tastes like ginger ale or cream soda.
Diet Materva
Today, you can also find a diet version of Materva. It has the same great taste but with fewer calories.
Materva's Story
The Materva Soft Drink Company started in Matanzas, Cuba, in 1920. Materva quickly became a very famous Cuban drink. Its ads even featured celebrities who said the drink gave them lots of energy!
Changes in Cuba
During the Cuban Revolution, which was a big change in Cuba's government, Materva's bottling plant faced strikes. This happened to other big drink companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi too. Materva was made and sold in Cuba until 1960. At that time, the government took over many private businesses, including Materva. The drink is no longer made in Cuba.
Materva Comes to Miami
The Cawy Bottling Company in Miami was started to make Cawy lemon-lime soda. This soda was also very popular in Cuba. In the 1960s, Cawy started making Materva in the United States. The company's founder wanted to offer more drinks because many big American companies already sold lemon-lime sodas.
Materva in Cuban and Miami Culture
Materva is seen as a very important part of Cuban culture. Many people call it "the old standby Cuban soda." For Cubans living in the United States, Materva often brings back "shared memories" and a feeling of "nostalgia" for Cuba before the Revolution. It reminds them of good times.
A Symbol in Miami
In Miami, Materva is sometimes used by politicians to show their connection to Cuban heritage. For example, a candidate once mentioned talking about Materva to President Obama during his visit to Miami. Travel guides often suggest visitors try Materva when they are in Miami. In 2002, the Miami New Times newspaper even gave Materva the "Best Local Soft Drink" award!
