Our Story
Australian tea specialist, Kym Cooper, has built a reputation in hospitality tea consultancy. Her passion has been quality tea menus that included cold tea, along with tea and food pairing events. In 2017, she met Tania Stacey, the current Australian Tea Brewing Champion. A Taiwanese tea enthusiast, Tania went on to represent Australia in Shanghai, China.
Kym and Tania realised their individual tea journeys had forged a similar mindset. To create a tea drink that suited the modern lifestyle. They share a commitment to tea-forward drinks that they create from scratch. East Forged drinks are not built on natural (or artificial) flavours or colours. Kym and Tania focus on Australian-grown teas and ingredients direct from the farmers. So, like wine, nature can dictate differences in East Forged productions.
Together, Kym and Tania bring specialist knowledge that they have lived and breathed.
Together, they channel that knowledge into East Forged.
Our mascots
In the world of tea, often tea pets are companions on the table while drinking tea. East Forged’s teapets; Mico (Monkey), Saka (Cat), Notsu (Pig) are willing and waiting to join you in a cold tea beverage!
* Inspired by the world of tea and our family, we are surrounded by Taiwanese and South Korean influences. Kym is born in the year of the monkey which lit the torch of inspiration for Mico our monkey and with a touch of nostalgia, Tania grew up with the 70's Japanese created "Monkey Magic" TV show about Sun Wukong. Both Kym and Tania have children born in the year of pig and Miss Piggy's eyes inspired Notsu our pig. Kym's first tea pet was a cat and has the traits of an independent cat holding back the nitro wave. The inspiration for Saka, our cat.
Our home
East Forged was founded in recognition of Australia’s east coast homes of Kym in Queensland, Tania in Victoria, and the craft brewery in NSW. We are proud to call the east coast of Australia home and are inspired to use the locally grown tea of Queensland and Victoria in our drinks.
The challenge to create a modern tea drink has gone beyond their original ideas. East Forged is a new style of tea drink that can be an afternoon pick-me-up to sharing some down time with friends. The perfect anytime, anywhere drink.
Our awards
Since launching in 2020, East Forged has received medals at:
2023 UK Spirits & Drinks Business - Low/No Masters
2022 UK Tea Academy - Cold Brew Tea
2022 Australian Golden Leaf Awards - Ice Tea
2022 Tasmanian Fine Food Awards - RTD tea
2022 UK Spirits & Drinks Business - Spring Blind Tasting
2022 Drink Easy - Ice Tea Finalist
2021 Tasmanian Fine Food Awards - beverages
2021 UK Spirits & Drinks Business - Low/No Masters (aperitif)
2020 UK Spirits & Drinks Business - Autumn Blind Tasting
2021 World Tea Expo - Innovation Finalists