In an imperfect world,
we’re doing a lot of things right.
When you take a sip of Muyu MilQ, you’re not just drinking milk. You’re embarking on a journey with us.
Along with creating healthy, great-tasting MilQ, our ultimate goal is to break away from monoculture thinking and spark curiosity and demand for food diversity.
Our approach – investing in two mutually beneficial ancient crops that grow together and naturally restore their local ecosystems – breathes life into local economies and cultures, beginning with small indigenous farming communities in the Andes.
This is a cultural and economic game-changer that leads to an abundance of biodiverse, healthy food – because our planet deserves it, and so do you!
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Food for Thought:
Variety is key to our Future
Monoculture is the practice of cultivating a single crop over large expanses of land. In addition to causing nutrition imbalances in our diets, it also presents several environmental challenges:
The Problem With Monoculture
Low Biodiversity
Of the Earth’s 300,000 edible plants, just three account for most consumption.
Soil degradation
It is estimated that 90 percent of the Earth’s soils could become degraded by 2050.
Monocrop failure
An astounding 99 percent of bananas today are identical genetic clones, causing die-offs.
We don’t
... craft plant-based foods based on a single ingredient. Why? That would be just more of the same monoculture thinking that got our planet into this mess in the first place. Monocrops destroy land over time.
We do
... design plant-based drinks with healthy ecosystems in mind. Quinoa and tarwi belong together; they are partners in nature and good for their soil. And by sourcing complementary crops at fair prices, we are giving smallholder farmers the opportunity to earn a better livelihood through regenerative agriculture.
Check out our impact model
Support Indigenous Communities
Restore Circular Agriculture
Protect Native
Seeds
Why Muyu?
Muyu is a quechua word that means both seed and circle which is our foundation to seed a method of circular agriculture to grow nourishing ancient food .
Restored
Agro-Ecosystems
Ecologically complementary Ingredients Native crops planted with local seeds Bring back underutilized ancient crops
Where tech meets ancient wisdom with the muyu method we use the power of biodiverse ancient crops to design plant-based foods that are nutritious, great tasting, ethical, andhealthy for the planet.Because we believe that some ingredients belong together-not justbecause they are nutritious and delicious but because they are partners innature. Planting quinoa on the same land year after year destroys soils,but crop rotation has been practiced in this part of the world forthousands of years while keeping soils healthy.Quinoa and Tarwi are part of the same crop rotation cycle. Using boththese ingredients in one beverage, we are working to bring back ancientsystems of circular agriculture.Tarwi has been forgotten in most Andean communities since ancienttimes, but it plays an important role in this cycle by capturing nitrogenfrom the air to increase soil health. Tarwi also naturally repel pests andmildews without the need for synthetic pesticides.
Regenerate indegenouns communities
The Farmer Challenges. In remote rural communities, the global demand for quinoa, touted as the "miracle grain of the Andes," has created disparities. While over 3,000 quinoa varieties exist, mono cropping for uniformity reduces crop diversity. Formerly cultivating 60 varieties, farmers now grow only four due to market demands. This shift, driven by global demand, depletes soil health, leading to lower, unstable profits. To cope, farmers seek supplementary income in mines, leaving behind traditional agricultural practices. This trend not only jeopardizes local food security but also underscores the need for sustainable, equitable agricultural practices to protect vulnerable communities in the global food system.
Our Promise
We don’t design (craft) plant-based foods based on a single ingredient. Why? That would be just more of the same (selfish depredatory) monoculture thinking that got our planet into this mess in the first place. When Quinoa alone has a high price, farmers plant it on the same land every year, depleting the soil nutrients and destroying the land over time
Support Indigenous Communities
Muyu purchases quinoa and tarwi directly from smallholder farmer cooperatives at above market prices negotiated every year. Andean farmers are the poorest demographic in South America and over 80% of our farmers are women. By purchasing native crops at fair prices, we are creating opportunities to earn a better living through regenerative agriculture. 1% of our sales will be donated to projects that support smallholder farmers to improve their livelihoods, sharing the costs of certifications, and speeding the transition to a more regenerative and climate resilient agriculture.
Revitalizing Communities
Who Grows Our Quinoa and Tarwi?
Indigenous farmers often suffer the highest rates of poverty in South America. In many peruvian communities, men migrate seasonally to work in informal mines, leaving the women at home to care for the farm. As a result, 80 percent of our farmers are women.
Muyu purchases quinoa and tarwi directly from these smallholder farmer cooperatives. The market prices are negotiated every year to improve the livelihoods of the farmers. By purchasing native crops at fair prices, we are creating opportunities for smallholder farmers to earn a better living through regenerative agriculture.
Muyu is more than just products —it’s an invitation to be part of a cultural and economic game-changer.
Additionally, one percent of our sales goes to projects that support smallholder farmer cooperatives . Projects include training more farmers to incorporate tarwi into crop rotation systems to regenerate soil health, providing co-funding for certifications, and building the leadership capacity of farmer cooperatives with at least 50 percent of officer positions being held by women.
Protect Native Seeds
What Kinds of Crops Do Our Farmers Grow?
Our farmers plant ancient seeds and diverse crops to support the regeneration of biodiversity in the farmlands of the Andes.
With thousands of local varieties, quinoa grows in many shapes and colors – but there are only a handful of quinoa varieties promoted around the world. Our plan is to revive the beautiful diversity of quinoa by paying farmers an extra premium for growing native varieties so that we can conserve crop diversity for future generations.
This also means that farmers can use their own locally sourced native seeds .
Reviving biodiversity in farmlands through ancient native seeds and more diverse cropping systems enhances resilience, enriches soils, promotes healthier ecosystems, and ensures a sustainable, nutritious food supply.
It's a holistic approach, honoring tradition while fostering a more vibrant and resilient agricultural future.Embark on a journey with Muyu, where we spark curiosity and demand for ancient, colorful, and nourishing crops.
Restore Circular Agriculture
How Should We Cultivate Our Crops?
Muyu is a Quechua word that means both “seed” and “circular motion.” The Muyu Method advocates for a shift to sustainable agroecological practices by reintroducing circular agriculture – and moving away from harmful monoculture.
Traditional practices such as crop rotation and community-level land management in the Andes have already sustained soil health for millennia. Quinoa and tarwi are a part of this cycle. They work together to restore soil vitality.
Now, by investing in regenerative agriculture programs, Muyu aims to revive ancient circular agriculture systems, positively impacting Andean farmlands.
Why Muyu?
Muyu is a quechua word that means both seed and circle which is our foundation to plant a method of circular agriculture to grow nourishing ancient food.
We design plant-based drinks with healthy ecosystems in mind. Quinoa and Tarwi belong together because they are partners in nature. By sourcing complimentary crops at fair prices from the same landscape of origin, we are giving smallholder farmers the opportunity to earn a better livelihood through regenerative agriculture.
