Cerisa Benjamin: Homegrown Katherine talent and husband Troy win big with Blak Brews business

A homegrown Katherine talent who teamed up with her husband on an Indigenous tea start-up has received a massive boost after the pair won an investment from chef Gordon Ramsay on national television.

Blak Brews co-founder Cerisa Benjamin, who was born and raised in Katherine. Picture: Blak Brews

A homegrown Katherine businesswoman who operates an Indigenous tea company alongside her husband says the pair are aiming high after securing a national platform and a $250,000 investment from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay on his latest TV show.

Cerisa Benjamin, 32, a Walpiri, Gurindji and Jawoyn woman who was born and raised in Katherine, leaving for Victoria at the age of 15, forms one half of Blak Brews, the start-up company her Geelong husband Troy established in 2023.

She quit her job at music industry wellbeing charity Support Act to start full-time with Blak Brews just two months before Troy got a call from the producers of Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars to say he would get to showcase his business nationally.

Blak Brews founder Troy Benjamin with wife Cerisa Benjamin, who is now full-time at the Indigenous tea start-up. Picture: Blak Brews

Dozens of aspirants were whittled down over a three-week bootcamp based on the potential identified by Ramsay and his offsider, Boost Juice founder Janine Allis.

Blak Brews Australian native teas, which offers tea blends with names like Red Centre, Kakadu Sunset and Desert Sunrise, using ingredients such as lemon myrtle, quandong, strawberry gum, and native oregano, was one of the last three start-ups left standing.

And on April 24, chef Ramsay made a statement of belief in Blak Brews, investing $250,000 in the business and offering himself up as mentor.

Food Stars 2024 winners Troy and Cerisa Benjamin at the Chin Chin launch. Picture: Supplied

Troy, who was the public face of Blak Brews during filming, said chef Ramsay’s nod was the “craziest moment of my entire life”.

“Momentum’s all in my corner now, there’s nothing more willing in my heart than to get home and start moving those teas into a new area and to start getting on the ground and start social media campaigns,” he said.

Blak Brew Teas Troy Benjamin is on Gordon Ramsey's Food Star TV show Picture: Mark Wilson

“I’m just pumped to get busy and show the world Blak Brews is legit.”

Ms Benjamin said Blak Brews initially started with a van that serviced the festival scene – which was aided by her music industry contacts.

But now expansion is on the cards, aided by the pair’s new $250,000 war chest.

Blak Brews currently has about 50 stockists – including Ayers Rock Resort – in addition to its booming online sales, with its first batch of tea recently sent to Mt Isa.

“Mostly we have people in Victoria. We want to expand that,” Ms Benjamin said.

“We’re getting inquiries from right across Australia.

“We’re going to invest it all [Ramsay’s $250,000] back into the business and we want to stock corporate agencies, we’re hoping to get airlines and hotels.

“Once we dominate Australia, we want to go global.”