A small Australian tea business has beaten global drink giants including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo to claim Best Drink Innovation at the 2026 World Food Innovation Awards in London. Queensland-based East Forged topped more than 100 entries from 28 countries with its nitrogen-infused cold-brew tea, which creates a creamy, full-bodied texture more commonly associated with stout beer than iced tea, without any sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Co-founders Tania Stacey and Kym Cooper say the breakthrough came from listening to customers at market stalls. 'We stand there and we listen to the people when they've tasted our drinks,' Stacey told 7NEWS.com.au. 'So many drinks nowadays have a strange aftertaste, or they're hyper-sweet and (customers) said of our drink, “Wow, this tastes healthy. It tastes clean. There's no weird aftertaste.”'
The founders believe many large beverage companies are missing the mark by focusing on reformulating products rather than rethinking them. 'They're taking what the customers' needs are but interpreting them in the wrong way,' Stacey said. 'They're not looking back at processes. They're just looking at formulas.' This approach led the pair to focus on texture, balance and the overall drinking experience, rather than following trends.
Demand for such options is growing, with younger Australians drinking less alcohol and older consumers cutting back for health reasons. The shift is driven by evolving social norms, health advice, pregnancy and life stages such as perimenopause and menopause. Many consumers are moving away from overly sweet or highly processed drinks, seeking options that feel more natural.
Early on, retailers struggled to place the product, often comparing it to sweet iced tea or non-alcoholic substitutes. Now, that lack of a clear category may be working in the company's favour as consumer preferences shift. Backed by the award win, Stacey and Cooper plan to expand into tea-drinking markets including South-East Asia and the United Kingdom.
