AI drives Tea Industries' success in Australian market

A Brisbane-based tech entrepreneur has successfully utilised artificial intelligence to expand her healthy drinks business to thousands of schools and supermarket shelves across Australia.

Alexa Stathakis, the 29-year-old Founder and CEO of Tea Industries, decided against hiring a traditional sales, marketing, and admin team, opting instead to deploy AI and social media influencers to grow her business. This approach has seen significant results.

The AI, dubbed Sarah, was tasked with contacting schools across Australia. In just one week, the AI called 8,000 schools, promoting free sample packs of Tea Industries' products. By the end of the week, over 1,000 schools placed orders, including those in metropolitan, regional, and rural areas.

After successfully penetrating the school market, Sarah redirected efforts to Australian supermarkets and petrol stations. Within three days, the company's products were dispatched to IGA stores nationwide.

The success has prompted Tea Industries to seek investors for further expansion.

The company aims to enter international markets and has engaged in preliminary discussions with potential partners from the US, alongside plans for future collaborations with prominent influencers.

Tea Industries offers a variety of flavoured tea drinks as a healthier alternative to conventional drinks, retailing for AUD $4 per bottle. The range includes flavours such as coconut and aloe vera.

Reflecting on her business strategy, Ms Stathakis remarked, "When I launched the business, I had a difficult decision. Hire a sales force or use technology. I turned to AI, and the results have been beyond belief."

She elaborated on the early success within schools, stating, "36% of Queensland schools who received a sample went on to place an order, and we are now fulfilling orders from schools across the country."

Ms Stathakis credited the AI's significant contribution to the company's progress, noting, "Sarah is a massive reason the business is as far advanced as it is. I'm pretty much a one-person outfit, so there was no way I could have called all those schools and run the business."

Beyond sales, Sarah now handles various operational tasks, "Sarah now manages even more aspects of the business beyond sales; she processes wholesale orders, automates logistics, and provides customer support. Essentially, she functions as the very backbone of the company, streamlining our entire process."

Emphasising the importance of technology in startups, Ms Stathakis said, "When you're in start-up mode, you always look for ways to work lean and preserve cash."

"You need to prioritise spending on product development and branding, so Sarah has been and continues to be a great help."

In Sydney, Annie Marie Andrew, a Canteen Manager at Westfield Sports High, shared her experience after interacting with the AI. She said, "I didn't realise Sarah was an AI until Alexa called me to put the order through and told me about it."

Tea Industries originated from a desire to provide sugar-free and artificial sweetener-free hydration options that align with a healthy diet. Ms Stathakis stated, "Disappointed by the absence of sugar-free and artificial sweetener-free options in mainstream stores, and driven by a belief that hydration should enhance health, not hinder it, Tea Industries emerged."

The company's healthy drinks offer a variety of flavours, catering to health-conscious consumers. "Our lineup of healthy drinks, from fresh raspberry to calming aloe vera, offers a refreshing alternative to conventional hydration choices, catering to both personal wellness and the collective health of humanity," Ms Stathakis shared.

The products are currently available in select IGAs, BP, Ampol, Shell service stations, and schools throughout Australia. To meet the growing demand, Tea Industries is actively seeking investment to facilitate faster growth and scaling.