Third Thursday speaker shares lessons from organic tea company

Sophia Hunter, an employee at Guayakí Sustainable Rainforest Products Inc., came in to Algonquin on Feb. 20 to talk about their caffeinated drink product Yerba Mate, a tea that is one of the fastest-growing organic beverages in North America.

February’s Third Thursday’s theme was “regeneration.” Hunter shared the company’s story of how its co-founders, David Karr and Alex Pryor, had the vision of growing fair-trade organic Yerba Mate to refresh the South Atlantic Forest.

Yerba Mate is a popular drink in the United States. It also introduced a new caffeinated category to energy drinks.

Susan Pridmore, the special events coordinator, worked with the committee members to organize this event. It took place on the first floor of the CA building.

“This is the second season of Third Thursday, and in March it’ll be a full two-years.” Pridmore said. “I’ve been working here at the college for five years.”

The Third Thursday series brings in guest speakers to talk about ideas that students, employees, alumni and community partners can share together to forge meaningful connections and learn. The events are story driven, curious and collaborative. It digs deep into topics that matter.

“We organize these events all through networking with the committee that we work with,” Pridmore said.

“One of our committee members, Kevin Holmes, knew Hunter, so it was easy for us to get in contact with her,” said Pridmore.

After the event, Pridmore and the committee members always ask everyone what they would like the theme to be for next month’s Third Thursday.