Australia now has its first YouTube led beverage brand.
From Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS to influencer led brands like Prime and Feastables, everyone seems to be turning their social media following into a business venture, whether it’s a celebrity, influencer, YouTuber or even an athlete.
Tea Industries is a sugar-free iced tea brand, featuring flavours like Peach and a unique Aloe Vera range. The drinks have already made their way into IGA stores, convenience outlets and over 300 school canteens across Australia.
The group is made up of Brett Stanford, Scott Gaunson and Derek Herron, famous for their outrageous stunts like dropping cars and bowling balls from cranes, the trio unveiled the launch in true How Ridiculous fashion by dropping a car and a boat from a crane onto thousands of bouncy balls.
The group has collected 14.95 billion views and 24 million subscribers, and is using its global reach to bring a health focused twist to the beverage market.
On the business front, the trio partnered with entrepreneur Alexa Stathakis, CEO of Tea Industries, to bring the vision to life.
“The idea grew from a shared belief that healthy living should be enjoyable and creative, not something that feels restrictive,” Stanford told Mediaweek.
“When Alexa reached out about Tea Industries, it immediately felt like a great fit. We loved her focus on making genuinely better iced tea without artificial ingredients and her positive, energetic approach.”
The brand’s mission is simple, to offer a refreshing, health conscious alternative to the sugar laden and artificially sweetened drinks that dominate shelves, while promoting better everyday choices.
“I was really inspired to create healthier drinks for people. Most drinks on the market that claim to be healthy still contain a lot of artificial sweeteners, which can cause gut disruptions,” added Stathakis.
Tea Industries plans to continue expanding in both Australia and the United States, tapping into the growing demand for natural, clean label beverages that combine wellness with flavour and fun.
Creator brand saturation?
Stathakis believes the answer to stand out in a flooded product market lies in authenticity and longevity.
“You can see similar examples everywhere. SKIMS is a great one, with Emma Grede and Kim Kardashian bringing both business and creative power together,” Stathakis said.
“I think it’s a natural progression. Creators have strong audiences, so giving them a tangible product just makes sense. That’s why How Ridiculous was such a great fit for us”
With Gen Z in its sights, Tea Industries aims to disrupt the beverage market by reinventing iced tea as a healthy, modern alternative.
“Our point of difference is that we’ve taken a very stale category, iced tea, and reinvented it as a genuinely healthy alternative,” said Stathakis.
“There’s a clear shift toward wellness. Gen Z drinks less alcohol than any generation before them, and they’re more health conscious and active. Health has become cool.”
And while “Tea” might be in the name, Stathakis hinted at broader ambitions for the brand.
“We don’t plan to stay limited to tea. We see ourselves as a healthy drinks brand. The goal is to make healthy living not just possible, but enjoyable.”