Matka Wódka
December 2, 2025 / Photo: Courtesy of Bianca Garza
Sarah Wyczawski’s idea for a mission-minded beverage brand began at a folding table in a soup kitchen all the way in Poland. She had flown there with her father amid the war in Ukraine to help prepare and serve meals for those in need with World Central Kitchen.
“We met families who had left everything behind and were still somehow hopeful,” she said. “The way food and drink can make you feel human and dignified, even when everything else is upside down, really stuck with us.”
On the flight home, they discussed how they could continue to help displaced individuals, and kept coming back to Wyczawski’s paternal great-grandmother Mary Zon, affectionately known as “Matka.”
Matka immigrated to Indiana from Poland in the early 1900s and helped to shepherd her family through many turbulent times, including the pandemic of 1918, the Great Depression, and two World Wars. Her father recalls her home being one of love and comfort to all who entered, and the many delicious Polish dishes she would prepare.
“Our whole family stands on her shoulders,” Wyczawski explained. “It felt natural to build something around her Polish cooking and culture. Vodka is such a big part of Polish hospitality, and we thought, ‘What if we made a vodka that could actually do some good?’”
Thus, Matka Wódka was created — a proudly Polish vodka brand whose proceeds support different refugee and immigrant aid initiatives.
Matka’s vodka is made from organic Polish spelt and crafted by a small family-run Polish distillery.
“We wanted a bottle you’re proud to pour for your friends: clean, smooth, and special,” Wyczawski said. “We get there with the combination of organic Polish spelt and a distillery we actually know and love.”
100% of the brand’s proceeds benefit initiatives that support immigrants and refugees, including RefugePoint, Emma’s Torch, and the World Central Kitchen where Wyczawski and her father volunteered months prior.
Since launching Matka, Wyczawski has hosted several pop-ups and tastings in her Brooklyn community. She is looking forward to organizing more events in the coming months, including a special holiday market. She is also working on a multifaceted series that will celebrate the city’s immigrant families.
“We’re building out an ongoing series that highlights immigrants and children of immigrants: their families, favorite meals, and the places in New York that feel like home,” she explained. “Some of that will live at our pop-ups, some on our site and Substack.”
More about Matka Wódka can be found here.
