Tea time for Gen Z goes viral

Three Brisbane school girls have become the face of Queensland tea company Origin Tea after impressing its bosses with their marketing ideas.

Origin tea brand ambassadors Charlotte Crago, Grace Bell and Simrat Gill

Three Brisbane school girls have become the face of Queensland tea company Origin Tea after impressing its bosses with their real-world marketing ideas.

The hires came after Fisher College Bracken Ridge students Charlotte Crago, Grace Bell and Simrat Gill, all aged 16, took part in a competition run by Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Business School.

The trio were among more than 120 high school students tasked with helping Origin Tea build a tea culture for Gen Z. Origin Tea Founders, brothers Chris and Lawrence Seaton, were so impressed with the teenagers ‘spill the tea’ campaign they hired them on the spot. The result is some fun content rolling out across Origin Tea’s Instagram and TikTok channels, that centres around the concept of connecting with a friend or sharing news over a cuppa because there’s a juicy conversation brewing in every cup of Origin Tea.

Tea kings Lawrence and Chris Seaton.

It’s a full circle moment for Chris, who came up with his tea business idea as part of a marketing subject during his QUT studies and founded the company with his brother Lawrence. Twelve years later, the siblings have grown the brand to be one of the fastest growing consumer tea brands in Australia, which is stocked in more than 1000 cafes and sold internationally and in Woolworths.

Grace and Simrat are both interested in studying business and law at QUT after high school, and Charlotte is also keen on a business degree, with possible majors in entrepreneurship, international business or marketing.

“The opportunity to work with Origin Tea was an enriching experience because I got to work with a real- world business and gain valuable insight into the field,” Grace says.

Origin tea brand ambassadors Charlotte Crago, Grace Bell and Simrat Gill

Water works

Australia’s largest pontoon and jetty builder – formed through the merger of Superior Jeƫties with The Jetty Specialist – says the new company will be known as Marine Structures.

With an estimated company value in excess of $60m and projects throughout Australia and across the globe, the Marine Structures strategic union brings together two high profile and family-owned companies to create what is set to be the biggest Australian pontoon builder for government, marinas, resorts and residential sectors.

Prior to becoming Marine Structures, the now merged companies have successfully delivered over $700 million in marine infrastructure projects since 2000 and plenty more prior to that. Director Jacob Morris says the new Marine Structures name encapsulates the capabilities for the new and proudly Australian owned company that has merged to expand resources, increase operational efficiency and take on a broader geographic reach.

Top drop

The fourth annual Law & Wine Dinner at the W Hotel last week raised a whopping $38,410 for LifeFlight. Run by Queensland compensation law firm Travis Schultz & Partners (TSP), the event brought together 270 guests to support LifeFlight’s critical offshore search and rescue missions. The evening featured a three-course meal paired with premium wines from the Australian family-owned Sanguine Estate Wines, with winemaker Mark Hunter sharing insights into the selections. Guests enjoyed the night’s festivities, led by MC and News Corp journalist Elizabeth Tilley, with guest appearances by cricket legends Andrew Bichel, Darren Lehmann and Ian Healy, along with poet Rupert McCall.

TSP managing partner Travis Schultz says the annual soiree is not just about raising funds but “a celebration of the camaraderie and generosity within our profession.”

Sunshine Coast lawyer and wine lover Travis Schultz. Picture: Supplied