Daily ritual brews into business idea

They might call themselves “tea thieves” but Georgia Prisco and Laura O’Connor are definitely on the side of good, helping others steal back precious time to simply relax and be in the moment.

Through their flourishing side hustle, Tea Thief, the Torquay friends are brewing a range of organic loose-leaf teas that encourage customers to embrace the age-old benefits of tea drinking.

“We both love that ritual of slowing down, having a cuppa and taking it with us when we go into nature hiking or surfing, things like that,” Georgia explains.

“We would always take a thermos of chai with us. So that was something that brought us together.”

The duo started their business venture four years ago after both moving back to the Surf Coast area at a similar time and finishing their respective studies – Georgia in naturopathy and Laura in law.

“Laura grew up in Anglesea and I grew up in Geelong but we are both based in Torquay now,” Georgia says.

“We both consciously chose to move back to the coast because we find the community really has those common values of looking after the environment, being health conscious and nature-focused.

“So, we really find it easier when we are living here to follow the natural rhythms of nature, have healthy habits and mindfully be part of the community.”

Georgia, 29, and Laura, 31, met through mutual friends and while both are creative, they also have complementary business skills with Laura excelling at the organisation, finance and legal side of things and Georgia being right at home liaising with stockists, bringing her expertise to brewing and being the face of the brand.

Tea Thief is stocked at selected venues locally on the Surf Coast and sold online via the Tea Thief website which is due to relaunch this week with a refresh.

The pair describe their product as an organic tea lovingly hand blended and infused with a good dose of humour.

The brightly coloured packaging evokes vintage holiday poster vibes while the cleverly named tea blends – Infini Tea and Beyond, Dalai Calma and 50 Shades of Earl Grey to name a few – are equally uplifting.

Georgia says Tea Thief is values driven while also being “fun, playful and quirky”.

“We really want customers to steal the moment by switching off, slowing down and taking time out for self-care,” she adds.

“Sustainability is equally important. It’s hard as a small business to make sustainable choices sometimes because often it’s harder to find or costlier but we are really big on choosing recyclable or compostable materials and encouraging bulk refills.”

With that in mind, they are now stocked at the recently opened Dustys Bulk Foods in Torquay.

When it comes to their mostpopular brews, Boobie Brew was the first blend Georgia created and it remains one the brand’s best sellers.

“The main purpose is end of pregnancy and breast feeding, and it’s a great gift for new mums,” Georgia says.

“Our sticky chais are another favourite. We use local honey, it’s got fresh ginger and roasted spices.

“We hand blend it all and do it all from scratch so there is a lot of love and time goes into our sticky chai and people just love it. I think they feel the energy in there.”

Georgia says while it’s difficult to choose a personal favourite, the Sweet Chai of Mine is hard to go past.

“It’s just such a nice one, especially if you are trying not to drink too much coffee – it helps you get through.”

With new blends on the horizon and hopes of their own space within a couple of years, the future looks bright for Tea Thief and their mission to help others “steal the moment”.

“Human connection is so important and rituals like sharing tea and making tea can bring so much joy into your life,” Georgia says.
Discover more by visiting the website and following the journey at @teathief_teas on Instagram.

Tea Thief is also served at LTBT Cafe in Torquay if you’d like to sample the product before you buy.