When you work in PR and Comms, you meet lots of different owners and makers, each with their own story. It is a perk of the job, because you are constantly peeling back the curtain on how successful brands and businesses came to be. It is an indulgence as we sit down and explore their brand for the first time and the people behind it. You are told of the moment when they tried something out and then realised that other people would be interested in it too.
Such is the story of Prana Chai Founders Koray, Mario and Vincent, who we have worked with for many years. We first met with Mario and Vincent in their cafe Merchant's Guild, which had exceptional food which we gladly generated media coverage to feature in Sunday Life, Broadsheet and The Age Good Food. We then worked with them again on their cafe Walk Don't Run with Chef Ryo Doyama, where we proudly generated media coverage with features in the Herald Sun Taste, Broadsheet and The Age.
When we started working with Koray also on Prana Chai, we could immediately see the essence behind the brand and these three friends building something together. And it tasted incredible.
Fast forward to today, and Mario, Vince and Koray have grown Prana Chai to a global brand found in over 70 countries. They have a new permanent warehouse in Cheltenham and now, they are launching their new colourful and meaningful packaging that reflects the community they have built.
So we took a moment to cement the Prana Chai story in film, creating a short feature that tells the story of their friendship, their journey and of course, how it all began. The film will be shown at their launch party on May 31, 2023, at which time they will officially unveil Prana Chai's new packaging from their new home.
It is a pleasure working with great partners and clients like Mario, Vincent and Koray. They take pride in their core product, are fastidious in their commitment to service and they donate back to the community, helping put vulnerable children through school in Sri Lanka and India.
Below is the media release with further details.
PRANA CHAI MEDIA RELEASE
From a glass jar in their local St Kilda cafe to the counters of Europe’s hottest cafes, the Founders of Prana Chai have turned a recipe created out of necessity and taste-tested by mum, into a real Aussie brand. And for these three relaxed friends, it’s serious business.
Now found in over 70 countries, Founders Mario Minichilli, Vincent Conti and Koray Gencel have grown Prana Chai into an Aussie brand enjoyed in homes and cafes all over the world, a milestone that this month will be marked with the release of their new look packaging created to represent the community that has embraced Prana Chai over the years.
Featuring five colourful illustrations for the Prana Chai Original Blend, Peppermint Blend, Turmeric Blend, Vegan (Agave) Blend and Decaf Blend, the new packaging is a departure from the neutral tones of their existing packaging to reflect the colour and liveliness of the diverse and growing Prana Chai community.
“We didn’t really set out to create a brand or anything like that when we first started Prana Chai,” said Mario. “We made it because we couldn’t find a good chai for our cafe customers. There was nothing out there that tasted really good and had quality ingredients.”
Today, Prana Chai is reflective of a new industry for Australian chai, attracting the attention of cafe owners around the world as they face the same challenges Prana Chai founders once had in their own cafe in St Kilda.
“In the beginning, it was just about figuring everything out. When we discovered that cafes locally here were loving it and their customers too, we found ourselves taking the plunge to show overseas what we are doing over here in Australia,” said Mario. “And they liked it too.”
With the new look packaging now available, the Founders are preparing for the next chapter in the Prana Chai journey, and by the look of things, it is set to be colourful.
Prana Chai is available in cafes, selected retailers and online.
If you would like to discover more details on Prana Chai, you can access the full Prana Chai Media Kit here.