New Photography Contest from YACHAK Will Send One Adventurous Photographer to the Brazilian Amazon and Award Them $25,000

"The Amazon Assignment" will partner with National Geographic photographer Ami Vitale to choose one aspiring photographer to venture deep into the Amazon Rainforest, where YACHAK's ingredients are sourced, and photograph the brand's reforestation efforts with non-profit One Tree Planted

PURCHASE, N.Y., Aug. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, YACHAK Yerba Mate Energy Tea announces a photography contest offering one talented individual the assignment of a lifetime. Together with National Geographic photographer and Nikon Ambassador Ami Vitale, the Amazon Assignment from YACHAK will award one ambitious photographer the opportunity to head to the Amazon in Brazil this fall where they will document the brand's reforestation efforts with non-profit organization One Tree Planted. The plant-based energy tea brand sustainably sources its certified USDA Organic Yerba Mate–a local species of holly plant that provides a natural source of energy–from the central and southern regions of South America. As such, YACHAK is committed to giving back to the Amazon, its people and animals who live there, and aims to spread awareness of its reforestation work through the Amazon Assignment.

The chosen winner of the Amazon Assignment will spend up to two weeks as the brand's on-the-ground photographer in the rugged Amazon rainforest. In addition, they will receive $25,000, professional mentorship from Ami Vitale, and a year's supply of YACHAK Yerba Mate Energy Tea to fuel their photography ambitions. Their imagery captured during the trip will both further bolster the chosen photographer's personal portfolio and be featured prominently across YACHAK's digital and social platforms. The brand also plans to create a virtual gallery on YACHAK.com to host the photographer's work and celebrate One Tree Planted's ongoing reforestation efforts fostered through their partnership.

Applications for The Amazon Assignment are open starting today, August 30, 2022, through September 12, 2022. To enter, photographers must submit four to six original nature photos and complete an application at YACHAK.com/AmazonAssignment, where more details can be found about the application process.

"The Amazon Assignment will be a profoundly impactful opportunity for one photographer looking to create meaningful work and learn about this extraordinary ecosystem," said photographer and filmmaker Ami Vitale. "I'm honored to work with YACHAK to personally select this deserving photographer and give them a chance to further their career to create stunning, storytelling images in Brazil. I've been privileged to learn about the world through my work, and it is exciting to be able to give another photographer the chance to do the same – while supporting the important reforestation efforts that give back to our planet in a meaningful way."

In addition to her acclaimed work with National Geographic, Ami is an award-winning Nikon Ambassador who has traveled to more than 100 countries telling the stories of wildlife, natural beauty and the human spirit through the lens of her camera. She has spent the last three decades sharing powerful stories that drive change and push boundaries. Today, Ami works to illustrate personal stories about individuals who, against all odds, are making profound changes in their communities and the world. She is the founder and Executive Director of Vital Impacts whose mission is to support grassroots organizations who are protecting people, wildlife and habitats. 

"YACHAK is a special brand in that each can purchased directly supports our efforts with One Tree Planted to protect and restore the Amazon -- a place so vital to our ingredient sourcing," said Julie Raheja-Perera, General Manager, North America, Pepsi Lipton Partnership. "The Amazon Assignment is a unique opportunity for a photographer to showcase and experience the work that is happening locally in Brazil through eye-catching visuals, and we're excited to leverage Ami Vitale's esteemed photography creds to bring this program to life."

During the trip, the Amazon Assignment photographer will be tasked with capturing the reforestation efforts YACHAK is directly supporting with non-profit organization, One Tree Planted, to help restore the endangered Amazon rainforest. Together with One Tree Planted, the brand has committed to restore nearly 300 acres of green space by planting 280,668 tree seedlings, and will plant over 500,000 trees by 2024. The partnership has also provided 72 farmers with sustainable income and employment through their work thus far.

"We admire YACHAK's dedication to the environment in the Amazon, and we're excited to partner with them on The Amazon Assignment," says Matt Hill, Founder & Chief Environmental Evangelist at One Tree Planted. "We look forward to working with the winning photographer to spread more awareness about the important work that's being done by our on the ground partners in the Amazon."

The YACHAK brand's five ready-to-drink, canned teas are available at select retailers nationwide and on e-commerce. The plant-based energy teas are certified USDA organic, non-GMO and made using Fair Trade Certified sugar. Each 16oz. can contains 165 mg of organic caffeine and retails for $2.59 - $2.79. For more information, please visit www.YACHAK.com.

About PepsiCo 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

About One Tree Planted
One Tree Planted is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on a mission to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. Their projects span the globe and are done in partnership with local communities and knowledgeable experts to create an impact for nature, people, and wildlife. Reforestation helps to rebuild forests after fires and floods, provide jobs for social impact, and restore biodiversity. Many projects have overlapping objectives, creating a combination of benefits that contribute to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at onetreeplanted.org.

CONTACT:
Chloe Hager, Edelman
[email protected]

SOURCE YACHAK