Troy Benjamin’s Tea on the Food Stars stage
It’s no secret that the Aussie café scene is dominated by coffee drinkers: it’s somewhat of a cultural phenomenon here – but tea is the second most consumed beverage worldwide (after water!) and Blak Brews is on a mission to give it the spotlight it deserves, while highlighting the bounty of Native Aussie flavours and ingredients. This Indigenous-owned tea company founded by Troy Benjamin looked to flip the script on our drinking habits on Food Stars – introducing a national audience to premium, native aussie teas.
Humble beginnings as a newly launched product turned into national stardom when Blak Brews’ Red Centre tea took the stage and wowed Gordon Ramsay himself: a feat not many can say they’ve done! Blak Brews is more than just a tea company, though – it’s a company working to bringing native and indigenous flavours and cultures to the forefront to create something uniquely Australian.
Australian Native Tea in a local growing Market
As Aussies lean more into organics, native products, and wellness – we want to feel good, and we want to do good. Blak Brews’ range of Native teas allows Aussies to drink something bold, locally-produced, native, and sustainable; all while knowing it’s good for their body, too. With ingredients like Strawberry Gum and Quandong, it’s not hard to love the unique, beautiful, and healthy flavours of Aussie Native plants.
With over 1.7 million people watching Food Stars, Blak Brews went from a relatively unknown startup to a recognisable Aussie brand. It’s sparked a truly powerful movement of awareness around native ingredients and First Nations led innovation. The exposure from being on and winning Food Stars has helped Blak Brews secure conversations with businesses and customers that may never have discovered the teas otherwise.
It’s not just about visibility, though – Blak Brews is proudly Indigenous owned, and proudly Australian. Being prideful in being Aussie continues to shape how the business connects with people.
An Australian Tea Brand with Australian Ingredients
Blak Brews’ run on Food Stars wasn’t purely just a win for the business, it created moments that spotlighted what the brand stands for and cares about. Across a bunch of high-pressure challenges, the founder Troy had to learn to collaborate with different personalities, lead with conviction, and stay true to his First Nations values and insights. Representing an Indigenous-owned business on national television comes with it’s own weight and set of challenges, but Troy approaches it with a strong sense of personal identity, connection, and an Aussie focus. Being on Food Stars allowed Blak Brews to show Australia the value of native, Indigenous ingredients and flavours – we consume so much imported tea that we forget about the bounty on our own shores! Blak Brews continues to prove that being culturally grounded can go hand in hand producing with sustainable, local product and achieve commercial success.
A Herbal Tea with Native Ingredients and Aussie Love
With a focus on local Aussie suppliers and producers, Blak Brews is growing a supply chain with long-term impact and positive benefits for communities across Australia. It’s not about fast wins and cheap product – it’s about creating a meaningful invitation to share in what Australia has to offer, via beautifully crafted teas and blends that are special in flavour, culture, and spirit.
By championing Aussie growers, suppliers, and businesses – Blak Brews products reflect thoughtful and meaningful connections between Aussies, native ingredients, and cultures. Working directly with local businesses gives a personal touch to a Blak Brew and helps to create a more sustainable and fulfilling tea industry via tea that’s real, grounded, versatile, and full of zesty and enticing flavours.
Try the Tea that’s Changing the Game
Experience a Blak Brew native tea: lovingly crafted in Australia with Aussie Ingredients – there’s a tea for everyone’s Cuppa.
