East Forged wins World Food Innovation award in London

East Forged has won the Best Drink Innovation prize at the 2026 World Food Innovation Awards in London, beating entries from companies including Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.

The Brisbane-based startup was selected from more than 100 entries across 28 countries, according to the awards organisers. The result gives the young brand international recognition as non-alcoholic drinks gain shelf space and consumer attention.

Founded by Kym Cooper and Tania Stacey, East Forged makes canned cold-brew, nitrogen-infused tea. The business set out to create a drink that stands apart from both traditional ready-to-drink teas and alcohol substitutes.

Its production method involves brewing whole tea leaves for up to 12 hours before adding nitrogen during canning. The process creates a foamy head and a creamier texture than most packaged tea products.

Unlike many mainstream ready-to-drink beverages, the range contains no added sugar, colours or artificial flavours. East Forged sources its tea leaves from growers in Australia and China.

Stacey said the idea came from a desire to make a tea the founders wanted to drink themselves.

"We just wanted to make something we'd actually enjoy drinking ourselves. Tea's always been part of everyday life in Australia, but when we started looking into it properly, there's this whole world of tea that people don't really see. To have that recognised on a global stage like this - especially up against companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi - it's pretty special for a small Australian business," said Tania Stacey, Co-Founder & World Tea Brewing Champion, East Forged.

New segment

East Forged argues its drinks are finding an audience beyond consumers seeking a direct replacement for beer or wine. Cooper said customers increasingly want a non-alcoholic drink treated as a product in its own right.

"In the early days people tried to compare it to non-alcoholic beer or wine, and it didn't quite fit. What we're seeing now is people just want something good to drink. They're not looking for a substitute, they just want something that stands on its own," said Kym Cooper, Co-Founder, East Forged.

The trend is showing up across age groups. East Forged pointed to younger consumers moderating their alcohol intake and older drinkers cutting back for health reasons.

Production rose by about 140% over the past year, with direct online sales contributing strongly to that growth. East Forged is now stocked in more than 200 locations across Australia, including Harris Farm Markets and independent retailers.

"It's been really interesting to see who's coming to us. You've got younger people drinking less, and older Australians being told to cut back, and both are really embracing it. We're seeing that come through online, and the repeat orders have been really strong. People are making it part of their routine," Cooper said.

Funding push

The award comes after East Forged secured AUD $1.5 million in fresh capital. The round was led by Global Mind Agriculture Australia, the venture arm of Vietnamese agribusiness TTC AgriS.

East Forged has also been selected for the Australian Government's Industry Growth Program. The support is being used to commercialise its brewing process and back expansion into Southeast Asia and the United States.

Judges said the company was recognised for changing how tea is presented and consumed. They pointed to the use of cold brew and nitrogen infusion to create a fuller texture without sugar or additives.

"It's taking something people already understand and giving it a completely different feel. The use of cold brew and nitrogen creates a texture and experience you don't normally associate with tea, and that's what makes it stand out," said a World Food Innovation Awards judge.

A second judge said the broader drinks category showed a shift away from standard product formats.

"What stood out at this year's awards was the level of thinking behind the entries. In the drinks category in particular, there was a clear move beyond traditional formulas, with more focus on innovation and how products fit into changing consumer habits. East Forged is a good example of that, taking a familiar product and reworking it into something that feels like a category of its own," said Angeline Achariya, World Food Innovation Awards judge.

FoodBev Media, which runs the awards, said this year's winners reflected wider changes across food and drink, including demand for health, transparency and purpose.

"The sheer level of ingenuity we've witnessed this year is remarkable. These entries don't just represent new products; they represent vital solutions to systemic challenges," said Melissa Bradshaw, Group Editor, FoodBev Media.