ARTICLE / THE MAKING OF... SERIES
The making of...
Subtle Tea.
It doesn’t matter the size of a business, but purpose is a massive driver for any brand. Of course, there are the well-known ones that fuel brands such as Patagonia, Rapha and Headspace. But whether your brand is helping fight climate change, effect social change or just being there, making some beautiful, simple difference, one commonality jumps out. MAKE PEOPLE FEEL GOOD. Doesn’t matter what you do, or say… just make people feel… you know… good. Discovering more about Samantha Griggs and her brand, Subtle Tea | Vodka Iced Tea gave us all sorts of warm fuzzies. It’s hard to be cynical when you hear more about her story. Go on, see what you think. This is The making of… Subtle Tea.
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The making of... Series
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#subtletea #rtd #healthydrinks #startupstories #startup #growthstrategy #drinkinnovation #coolpackaging #branddesign #entrepreneurlife #femalefounders #founderstory
Hey Sammy. Great to finally connect. We’ve known about Subtle Tea’s good vibes for a while now but have been itching to learn more about the magic behind your story… the who, what, why and so on. Let’s dive in with how you came up with the idea.
Hey there, and thanks for the kind words. Ok, I've always been into health and wellness but also love a good time, so I was searching for a balance between the two. That might be a DNA thing. My mum’s a nutrition educator, and my dad’s been running pubs and nightclubs since before I was born. I guess you could say I took a bit from both and ended up somewhere in the middle!
Enjoying a social drink, I was constantly frustrated with the options out there—especially alcoholic drinks. They were always packed with artificial ingredients, sweeteners, and just overall low quality. They didn’t align with what I wanted, and to be honest, they tasted awful and left a bad taste in my mouth (literally!).
I started getting creative, infusing things into my drinks to add real flavour while keeping them as clean as possible. That’s how I came up with my tea recipe. I shared it with friends for years, and everyone loved it. Then one scorching 40-degree day, on a festival dancefloor, I was sharing my tea around, and I had a full-blown epiphany. I could see there was a clear demand for a drink like this. So I came home, quit my job, and went all in!
Samantha Griggs, Founder of Subtle Tea
Fantastic! Festival dancefloors have been responsible for quite a few epiphanies over the years, it sounds like you were subconsciously researching your product at the same time. How did you elevate things? How did you test your product-market fit?
My research started pretty organically. At first, I was just experimenting with ingredients and flavours that aligned with my health-conscious mindset but still tasted great. I’d been sharing my tea blends with friends for years, getting their feedback, tweaking recipes, and really understanding what people liked and didn’t like.
When I decided to take it further, I looked at industry trends and saw a clear gap for an alcoholic drink with clean ingredients. To test the product-market fit, I launched a crowdfunding campaign, which exceeded expectations. The response was incredible and confirmed that there was a real demand for a product like Subtle Tea.
After deciding to go all in on Subtle Tea, did you evolve the product much from the OG dancefloor crowd-pleaser?
I've had many iterations of my recipe long before Subtle Tea became a business. Back then, I’d just throw tea bags into vodka the night before a festival, with no real understanding of ratios, temperatures, or brewing techniques. It was very hit or miss—sometimes it tasted amazing, and other times it was over-brewed and bitter.
Even after starting the business, it took a few runs to get it right. Since I cold-brew real loose-leaf tea, which hadn't been done before, I had to figure everything out on my own. There were so many variables—temperature, brewing techniques, etc. Plus, I refused to use anything artificial or preservatives, unlike most others in the market, which made it tricky to nail the formula. But once I did, it was all worth it!
We have to say, the formula is working. Funding-wise, you’ve mentioned your crowdfunding campaign. How did you initially finance everything before that?
I’d always had the idea of starting a business, so I had been saving up and initially funded everything with my own capital. But as with any new venture, there were some (expensive) learning curves, and my funds didn’t stretch as far as I’d planned. I actually got to the point of running out of money last year and had to seriously consider whether I could keep going. That’s when I decided to do a crowdfunding campaign, which ended up being incredibly successful. The feedback and support I got from backers all over Australia reignited my passion and gave me the push to keep going.
The realities of money can be pretty brutal but, like you say, those experiences can also serve as a catalyst. Ok, let's talk about branding. We’re massive fans of your packaging. There is definitely a smiley vibe going on. What was the thinking there?
I wanted Subtle Tea to feel fun, nostalgic, and carefree—bringing back memories of good times without taking itself too seriously. With so much negativity on social media, I aimed to cut through with something lighthearted and real. The goal is to bring people together, spark joy, and create genuine connections—something we all need these days.
The branding definitely puts a smile on the face. It’s also very recognisable which is a big plus for shelf stand-out. What else are you doing to raise awareness? How are you getting the word out there?
Community has been everything for Subtle Tea, and it’s really what’s driven our growth. I love meeting our customers face-to-face, whether at events, in-store tastings or even festival dancefloors! There’s nothing better than seeing the excitement when someone tries Subtle Tea for the first time. It’s all about building real connections and making Subtle Tea feel relatable and approachable.
As we scale, the challenge is that there’s only one of me! We’re growing rapidly, so it’s crucial to bring in people who truly represent Subtle Tea’s values. Keeping our authenticity while we grow is extremely important to me.
Authenticity is gold. You are right to hang on to that. What other challenges are on the horizon at the moment?
The biggest challenge we’ll face moving forward is scaling up while maintaining the same level of quality that sets Subtle Tea apart. We constantly get feedback about how refreshing it is to find a drink of such high quality, and we’re not willing to compromise on that. Reproducing the recipe at larger volumes, especially with the complexities of tea brewing, will be tricky, but I’m ready for the challenge!
It’s a great challenge that, if things carry on the way they are, you’ll nail. Ok, before we hit you with our final question, thank you for taking the time to share what’s been going on in your world. Love it.
Righto, final question. Knowing what you know now, what watchouts would you give another founder setting off on their startup journey?
Oh gosh, I could share so much! But one big piece of advice would be to try and keep a bit of emotional distance from your business. It’s important to remember that your business is not you. In the beginning, I was so emotionally connected to Subtle Tea, especially since it’s such a big part of my life (all my friends drink it, so I can’t escape it!). When things went wrong, I took it really personally, and it became hard to separate my personal life from the business. It took a lot of mental work, but I’ve learned to create that separation now - and it made a huge difference.
Another piece of advice: Be ready for things to go wrong—because they definitely will. But there’s always a solution. Problems are constant, but now I’m just better at handling them when they come up. That's just business I guess!
