Meet Blak Brews: Tea Rooted in Country
By Bree Pagliuso|
What does a pause taste like? At Nyaal Banyul, it’s found in the moments between sessions. A breath of fresh air off the bay. A warm cup in hand. A chance to reset and take in where you are. And sometimes, what you reach for is something softer. Grounding. Something that carries a story.
When we open, Blak Brews will bring a deeper connection to that pause. A First Nations owned and operated tea company, each blend draws on native ingredients, cultural knowledge and a strong sense of Country, creating a distinctly Australian flavour in every cup.
Every sip holds something more. Of land, of tradition, of time.
We spoke with Troy Benjamin, Founder and CEO of Blak Brews, to talk about how it all began, what makes their tea different, and what it means to be part of the Nyaal Banyul experience.
A truly authentic Australian Product
With a background in coffee and running cafés, Troy has always had a sharp eye for what makes something worth drinking. But tea, he noticed, had been left behind.
“I’d always kind of wondered whether or not tea was going to take the same journey as wine and cheese.”
“Tea’s probably a category that’s still pretty untouched. It’s a bit archaic.”
He saw that as an opportunity.
So, how did Blak Brews come to life?
It didn’t start with a big plan.
“What started as a side thing turned into the main thing.”
Husband and wife duo Troy and Cerisa Benjamin didn’t set out to build a tea brand. Like most good things, it found them anyway.
“The first tea was dunked in 2023 and the first bag sold a few weeks later.”
From there, it grew quickly, shaped by new ideas, new collaborations, and a growing audience drawn to something that felt both familiar and entirely new.
What makes Blak Brews different?
It starts with the ingredients, and the story behind them.
“It’s a bit archaic, and I think it’s really important to showcase what’s been here for 60,000 years, finger limes, Kakadu plums. We grow so many varietals from overseas here in the Daintree, so it’s exciting when people start to think about what’s truly Australian. The best teas come from the outback. Indigenous ingredients. Organic goodness. Wildly Australian.”
Blak Brews is built around native Australian ingredients, sourced as locally and ethically as possible. Sourced, blended and packed in Australia, working with Australian suppliers. It’s a product grounded in place, both in flavour and in origin.
There’s a strong sense of purpose behind the brand. How do you define that?
“We’re a little Australian tea company that’s bringing people, health, culture and tastebuds together through a cup of the good stuff.”
Blak Brews is First Nations owned and operated, with a focus on connection to Country, to community, and to the people drinking it.
“Australia’s got a long history with the British way of drinking tea. But now we’ve got something really exciting that feels distinctly, truly Australian.”
And the tea itself, what can people expect?
Clean, bold flavours built from native ingredients, with a range broader than you might expect.
“The Mint Tea Green is a really special one. It’s a nice digestive — something to start or finish a meal.”
“We’ve got eight key blends — two black teas and six herbals. The most popular are Red Centre, Desert Sunrise and Lemongrass and Ginger.”
Troy’s advice for first-timers is simple.
“Don’t add milk...don’t add anything…don’t add a drop of honey…just taste it! Because more than likely, you’ve never tasted anything like it.”
You’ve had a big year. What’s changed?
“Winning Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars in 2024.”
The award marked a turning point. It brought national recognition to Blak Brews and highlighted the brand’s unique place in the market: a premium native Australian tea company grounded in Country, culture and flavour. It’s a milestone that reflects how quickly the brand has grown and how strongly it’s resonating.
What does it mean to be part of Nyaal Banyul?
Blak Brews is now part of the experience at Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre . Set along the waterfront, the venue brings people together to share ideas, connect and experience the region in a meaningful way.
For Troy, it’s personal.
“I was born and raised here, nothing matters more to us than making sure that when people visit Geelong, they can see this is proudly owned and operated by a local Geelong business. We’re just really excited to be able to present something that Geelong’s proud of.”
Tea becomes part of that moment. A pause between conversations. A reset within a busy day.
“I hope people feel warm and that we’re a conversation starter. We just need to be talking and feeling and connecting. You look at our producers here in Geelong, we are world class, premium level producers.”
“If people are coming here, usually they’re looking for something unique and different and if they can have an experience amongst the centre and enjoy a cuppa in a nice closed moment of their own, I think it’s going to be a really powerful experience.”
And where do you want to take Blak Brews next?
“Our journey is to become the best tea on the planet and we want you all to be on the tea-m.”
Bringing Geelong and The Bellarine into your event experience means more than just a location. It’s a sense of place you can taste, feel and connect to from the moment you arrive. Blak Brews is part of that story. A reflection of culture, community and a different way of doing things, slower, more thoughtful, and deeply connected to Country.
At Nyaal Banyul, that matters.