Waku is a deliciously replenishing herbal tea with prebiotic powers and 0g of added sugar. Each bottle of Waku is crafted using a powerful botanical blend that offers both anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits. Rooted in a centuries-old Ecuadorian recipe, cherished for generations in the Andes Mountains for its gut-health benefits and great taste.

We have always believed in the power of business to drive positive change. Our journey began with a mission to uplift indigenous farmers in Ecuador, where 42% live under the poverty line. Through our strategic choice of the Food & Beverage/Agriculture industry, leveraging Ecuador's reputation for growing the highest quality natural ingredients, we aim to make a lasting impact.

Juan and Nico our founders, met back in Ecuador when they were in middle school. While in college, entrepreneurship brought them together—they were both passionate about entrepreneurship, business, and social impact. Juan and Nico’s real friendship and partnership started in 2015, when Nico and Juan started working together at a previous company. They both always have been entrepreneurs, so they decided to start a company together with a special mission behind.

Juan and Nico always knew that they wanted to create a positive impact in the economy of local farmer’s communities in their home country Ecuador. They understand that together they could achieve more than each of them individually. They settled on the Food & Beverage/Agriculture industry, because Ecuador is distinguished in growing the highest quality natural ingredients. If done right, they knew that they could have a tremendous impact on one of the most vulnerable populations in Ecuador: indigenous farmers, 42% of whom live under the poverty line.

Everything started when they decided to go in search of the original "horchata lojana" recipe,  a centuries-old Ecuadorian tea recipe with gut health properties. In 2017 they traveled through the Andes Mountains. After tasting 52 local variations, they found the best tasting tea, the one to be shared with the world. After that, they raised some investment from friends and family and spent over a year developing the Waku brand and an ethical supply chain, by sourcing the herbs directly from the communities of farmers in a region of the Andes Mountains where horchata lojana was invented. Juan and Nico made it their mission to build Waku, putting a modern twist on an ancient tea—using a centuries-old Ecuadorian recipe, the finest natural ingredients, no sugar, and prebiotics to maximize the gut-healthy benefits.

Leaving everything behind, Juan and Nico decided to move to the US to build the Waku brand from the ground up. They decided to leave their home country Ecuador, to build the company of their dreams, so they moved to Boston, MA in 2017.

Juan and Nico spent over a year developing an ethical supply chain. They were committed to using the freshest ingredients, grown on small farms with respect for the land, in service to our mission of improving lives back home in Ecuador. They established a relationship with farmers from indigenous communities in the Andean Region of Ecuador.

With the passing of time the brand started to grow, change, and create new things. Since Juan and Nico started the company they have launched 6 different flavors,1 brand redesign, and 1 formula improvement for maximized gut health.

Fast forward to January 2023, Waku debuted at Whole Foods New York City in 22 stores, testing the waters with their customers.

In just 4 months, Waku became the top-selling tea in the Whole Foods RTD category, surpassing renowned brands like Joe’s Tea, Just Ice Tea (formerly Honest Tea), and Guayaki. The overwhelming response led Whole Foods to expand Waku's presence to all stores in NY, CT, and NJ, with plans for further expansion in the North Atlantic and Mid Atlantic regions in 2024.