Nati & fabri

Despite both hailing from Uruguay, Nati and Fabri met in Auckland while out in Mission Bay. They were both drinking mate, Uruguay’s national drink (pronounced 'MAH-teh') and it sparked a conversation.

They quickly became close friends and during the 2021 lockdowns, they reminisced together about their homeland and in particular the food they loved and missed. They agreed that the alfajor was top of the list: two soft chocolate biscuits with traditional creamy dulce de leche (caramel filling), covered in rich chocolate. In Uruguay, alfajores are enjoyed anytime of the day – in the morning with coffee or mate, as a snack or dessert.

So they decided that if they couldn’t go to Uruguay, they needed to create these delicious treats for themselves, and for others to discover and love as much as they do. And thus, MATE alfajor was born.

In 2022 they found themselves fortunate to join The Kitchen Project program, which has been highly supportive. “We loved being part of TKP because it gave us the support we needed to build our self-confidence and get the best of us. One of our favourite things about the programme was having the chance to learn from a range of experts. You can really pick their brains and absorb so much knowledge!” They are working hard on achieving their goals. “In a few years from now we envision a future with dedicated production facilities and reaching every corner of the country. That`s the big dream!”

Their alfajores are 100% artisanal and baked with lots of love at the fantastic facilities of The Kitchen Project. And they promise – once you try their alfajor, you'll never look back!

You can follow MATE alfajor’s updates on Instagram and Facebook.