Rootastes x Waku
The root of what we do is summarized with Eat. Real. Food. It’s our slogan and our way of life. From sourcing local ingredients from local farms to delivering them to our clients, we’ve created quite the list of partners. These are their stories.
It all started with a road trip. Waku co-founders Juan Giraldo and Nico Estrella had already spent years working together, but a simple cup of tea drew them out of their Ed-Tech environment and on a cross country voyage through their native Ecuador to find a tea blend that best represented el agua que cura, “the water that heals.”
El aqua que cura
After over 50 taste tests, the team settled on a blend formulated in Cuenca, where they met a woman who showed them her tattoo featuring an assortment of herbs. She revealed that these herbs, blended by her grandmother, healed her of an illness when she was a child.
The duo then met Don Miguel and his family, independent farmers who make a living growing these herbs. Juan and Nico discovered how the herbs are grown, everything Don Miguel knew about wellness teas, and the struggle of being a farmer in a small community. The universe had spoken, and Waku was born!
The company’s signature el agua que cura is a unique combination of over 20 herbs and flowers with analgesic, digestive, and anti-inflammatory properties, all sourced from the Andes Mountains. It was very important to Juan and Nico to create an ethical supply chain in Ecuador that would benefit Don Miguel and others while sharing their healing water with the world.
Rootastes x Waku
Waku’s tea is the epitome of Eat. Real. Food., and we’re proud to partner with this Greater Boston-based company. According to Juan and Nico, they enjoy working with us too! “We love Rootastes’ focus on making eating healthy easier and more accessible for people. As a team, we are always trying to find our balance- pushing hard to achieve our passion and recharging to return even stronger. To do so, you need the right fuel to power your day, and a farm-fresh curated lunchbox paired with refreshing Waku is the perfect way to do just that.”
Why Waku?
As mentioned above, Waku’s tea is a healing blend that brings balance to your gut with a refreshing, smooth taste. Waku (WAH-KOO) hails from Quechua, the language spoken by indigenous people from the central Andes Mountains. It means “together,” which is what the company hopes to promote: togetherness. You can find it at over 150 locations in Greater Boston, including Rootastes!