PRESS RELEASE: Australian Beverage Company Takes Aim at Obesity Policy with Nationwide Free Tea Giveaway

Businesswoman Alexa Stathakis, founder of the Australian health company Tea Industries, has announced a bold initiative: free sugar-free tea for all Australians until federal election day. The campaign aims to raise awareness about childhood obesity and send a strong message to federal Members of Parliament.
As the 2025 federal election approaches, Tea Industries urges both major parties to address the escalating childhood obesity crisis. Despite significant investments in healthcare—Labor’s $8.5 billion pledge to enhance Medicare and the Coalition’s $9 billion commitment—neither has proposed concrete measures to curb the consumption of sugary drinks among children. This omission is concerning, given that Australia’s obesity epidemic is projected to cost the health system $38 billion over the next four years. Public health experts, including the Australian Medical Association, advocate for a sugar-sweetened beverage tax to reduce sugar intake and fund preventive health strategies. Tea Industries calls on policymakers to prioritize evidence-based interventions, such as implementing a sugary drinks tax, to promote healthier choices and protect the well-being of future generations.
The free drinks giveaway will feature Tea Industries’ entire range of sugar-free, naturally flavoured teas. The drinks will be distributed via eligible registered charities, who can contact the company directly at [email protected] to participate.
“We’re inviting Parliament to wake up and taste the tea,” said Stathakis. “Our kids deserve better than sugar-laced milk and artificial chemicals in school canteens.”
Alexa Stathakis was recently featured in the Australian Financial Review for her groundbreaking use of artificial intelligence, which allowed her to personally reach out to every school in Australia. Within just 12 months, she has grown Tea Industries into an international brand, now in talks with major U.S. and Mexican retailers eager to meet demand from a new generation of health-conscious consumers.
Tea Industries has also been active in policy advocacy, including a pointed campaign against Queensland’s controversial “Health Star Rating” system.
“The current system gives higher health ratings to sugar- and caffeine-filled milk drinks than to beverages with no sugar, no artificial ingredients, and actual nutritional value,” Stathakis said. “It’s broken—and that’s why our kids are overweight.”
To further highlight the issue, Tea Industries has released a short documentary-style video exposing common chemical additives found in drinks sold in school canteens, such as Sodium Cyclamate, Sodium Benzoate, and Acesulfame Potassium—additives linked to serious health concerns.
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8k_PoiAVwY
“If you think that’s bad, wait until you find out what gives your strawberry milk its colour—crushed insects. No, seriously.”
Tea Industries continues its mission to educate, advocate, and innovate, providing Australians with healthier alternatives while challenging outdated systems and pushing for transparency in food and drink labelling.