By Kimberly Wilson ·Updated April 15, 2026 < /> Getting your Trinity Audio player ready… If you grew up in a Caribbean household, you knew Mauby before you knew its name.
Someone was either making it, drinking it or trying to get their hands on it. Duckens Nazon knows it that way too, which is why when it came time to put his name behind something, this was an easy decision.
Nazon joined Mabï Artisanal Tea as both an ambassador and equity partner. The Caribbean wellness brand is built around Mauby bark, something the region has used for centuries before it was ever canned. Instead of a traditional endorsement, he took ownership, a move more athletes are making as they look to build long term equity for themselves.
The brand was founded by Jerry Grammont and Erica Ortiz-Grammont, with its recipe passed down from Grammont’s mother, Dr. Marie Roberte Laurent, a Haitian naturo src="https://media.essence.com/vxcjywbwpa/uploads/2026/04/DSCF2313-scaled.jpg" alt="International Soccer Star Duckens Nazon Invests In Mabï, A Caribbean Drink Built On Generational Tradition" width="400" height="266" />
If you’ve followed his career, you already know this about him. He has been putting Haiti in rooms it wasn’t invited into for years now, with the World Cup stage being the most obvious example.
No record captures that better than the one he broke. Emmanuel “Manno” Sanon scored against Italy at the 1974 World Cup and spent the decades that followed as Haiti’s all-time leading international goal scorer, a player whose name meant hope at a time people needed it. He got there and immediately looked back, which is not something every athlete does.
“Emmanuel ‘Manno’ Sanon set an incredible standard for Haitian football, and I’m grateful to follow in his footsteps while contributing to the team’s legacy,” Nazon says. “I dedicate every goal I score to my family, my teammates, and above all to the Haitian people. I hope to continue building on the foundation that legends like Manno established and inspire the next generation of Haitian players.”
He has been doing this for years and still talks about Haiti like someone who just made the roster for the first time.
“Representing Haiti on the world stage is more than an honor, it is a responsibility carried with love, pride, and dignity,” he says. “When we step onto the pitch, we are not alone; we carry the hopes, dreams, and prayers of an entire nation. I want the world to see our courage, our unity, and our light. Because beyond football, we play with soul and with a deep love for where we come from.”
“Haiti is a land of beauty, depth, and soul even when the world does not always see it that way,” he says. “…I carry Haiti with dignity in everything I do, hoping to inspire a new narrative, one filled with respect, admiration, and understanding. Because Haiti is not just a place… it is a spirit.”
Mabï was named a FoodBevy Top Wellness Brand to Watch in 2025 and landed on a SXSW x Fast Company panel on scaling with culture. Taking equity in something this rooted in his culture makes sense for him.
“Wellness, for me, is harmony between the body, the mind, and the soul,” he says. “In a demanding world, I choose balance, peace, and intention. I nurture my spirit with gratitude, surround myself with love, and protect my energy with care. Mabï fits naturally into that vision of something pure, rooted, and meaningful. Because true strength begins from within.”
“Everything I build is guided by love for where I come from,” he adds. “The Caribbean is a tapestry of beauty, rhythm, and soul and Haiti is one of its brightest lights. To create something that honors that heritage is deeply personal to me. It is a way of giving back, of uplifting, and of celebrating our identity with pride, kindness, and love.”
Every goal was part of that argument, and so is a can of tea brewed from Haitian bark by Haitian women.
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