OUR HANDMADE CHAI, MADE IN MELBOURNE

Over ten years ago, Vincent Conti and Mario Minichilli opened a café in St Kilda and began developing a chai blend to be served alongside specialty coffee. As they perfected their recipe, customers grew to love their chai and fate brought about a friendship with Koray Gencel. Now, Prana Chai is served in market leading cafes around the world!

Meet the team

Megan

I'm Megan and I love to have a good laugh and am definitely not afraid of a good dress up party! My normal week consists of wrangling my cherubs to school and their activities and chatting to the Prana family across the oceans. Japan, America, UK, EU, AUS - the list of places goes on. People are loving the goodstuff and I'm thrilled to be a part of the Prana team

Radhik

Hi! I'm originally from Sri Lanka (the land of tea!) but have lived in Australia for the past 20 years! I have been a part of the team for about 7 or 8 years now. It's been so long that it feels like forever! I started at the very beginning when the boys use to run a cafe during the day and my best mate and I worked nights producing the chai as our part-time jobs. Gradually as Prana chai grew, I too grew with it - now I am Factory Production Manager.


Sunil

Hi! I am Sunil and people call me Sunzi. I’m originally from India, I have lived in Australia for the past 5 years!

I have been a part of the Prana team for about 3 years now. It's been so long that it feels like forever! My role is to make chai and maintain the production levels.

I like the taste of of chai, with the different flavours. Mostly I never have had chai with these flavours before, even though I grew up drinking chai!

One of my favourites is our Peppermint.

I'm so grateful to be part of the Prana team because not only is it a job, it's a family. I am happy to be a part of Prana Chai, with lots of love! ❤️

Summer

After years in the coffee industry as a barista and sales rep, I started with Prana after moving closer to Melbourne. I love being able to stay in the loop with what's going on in the coffee industry which will always remain a passion of mine.

In my spare time I love to go out to restaurants and bars, snowboard and wakeboard with friends and fam.

Yuya

When I first met Kotaro is when I first met PRANA CHAI. 

Love this chai ever since. 

I love snowboarding, surfing and surf skating.

Snowboarding brought me to Myoko and met Kotaro and also it brought me to Australia. 

I’ve done a season in Falls Creak and lived in Melbourne to learn the coffee culture. 

It’s an real honour to join the Japan team!

Amelia

My name's Amelia, my friends call my Milly. When I'm not spreading the Prana love to the west, you can find me hanging out with friends, at the gym or spending time with my dog. I like all types of fitness but especially running and boxing and I Iove learning new things. I'm so grateful to be part of the Prana team because not only is it a job, it's a family. 

Kavi

I'm Kavi, a lifelong tea-lover and tea-drinker! So, it was only natural for me to help make and taste Prana Chai.

When I'm not making chai you can find me reading a good book or socialising.

Connor

Another Kiwi living in the beautiful Sydney, my background is in hospitality throughout New Zealand, from Waiheke Island to Queenstown, before deciding to move to Sydney where I continued my hospitality career. From here I moved into a sales role for a boutique wine importer and distributor which has lead me to my sales role now for Prana in both NSW and QLD.

When I’m not slinging Chai you can most probably find me in the water at an eastern suburbs beach, at the sauna at Icebergs pool, or at a restaurant sharing food and wine with friends.

Aaron

Hello hello! My name is Aaron, and I’ve been a hospo fanatic for a while now. I love everything about the industry, from interacting with awesome people, to creating new drinks and food and of course getting to taste all of the delicious Prana Chai blends.

I’m a pretty out there guy who is keen as on travelling and outdoor adventures! On my day off you will definitely catch me out and about soaking up the sun, and seeing all my friends and family which mean so much to me.


Ana

I am from a coastal city in Spain. I love the beach, reading, travelling and spending time with my family.I have been part of Prana Chai (in one way or another) from the very beginning and I love how we take care of each other.  It's not just a job, it is a family.

Jayde

Jayde aka the girl-boss of Prana Chai Korea & Prana Chai global community manager. 

I am super grateful for the amazing opportunity and the team that I've been sharing the journey with. I miss the Melbourne coffee, yoga scenes, creative community, avocado on toast, Sunday farmers market, enjoying the sunshine at the beach and all my friends back in Melbourne.

Pradeep

Hi, I am Pradeep, originally from Sri Lanka. I love music, cricket and badminton!

I joined the Prana team two years ago. I love having a voice, my boss listens to our ideas and the whole Prana team works together to offer creative feedback. Then we make the No 1 chai in the world!


Kotaro

Joined the team in 2016. Now share the love of Prana Chai to Japan! Back in 2011, I started working for one of the coffee shops in Melbourne and I met a bowl head barista working behind a machine with me, I was steaming up milk, and he was pulling shots (and he was watching cricket game on his phone. Even though 20ppl waiting for coffee..). This barista was Mario. Simply I felt in love with the chai since Mario showed me how it's made. And I decided to come back to Japan to share this beautiful stuff for Japanese people! There was no culture in Japan having chai in the menu at specialty coffee shops like Melbourne. Now, I am so grateful for opening another door for Japanese cafe users!

"Don't worry Folks! Even you don't really like coffee there is delicious healthy chai waiting for you!" Kotaro

Lani

Lani has been drinking Prana Chai since the early days, and after moving from her hometown of Melbourne overseas, she's been addictively tracking down the good stuff wherever she ends up. After a decade working in consulting and writing for the coffee industry, Lani joined the Prana team over 2 years ago as Marketing Director. When she's not working, you can find her enjoying the coffee roasters and breweries of Portland, Oregon, where she currently lives.

Brian

I joined the team in 2014 to bring Prana Chai to North America, although my history with the Prana family dates back to 2001 when I crossed paths with a pair of Aussies (eventual brand founders) while traveling in Africa. 

Fast forward almost 20 years and I'm grateful to represent a unique product alongside old friends and new ones on our growing global team. My wife, daughter and I are based in Portland OR, from where we enjoy local and international travel, the great outdoors, and an excellent selection of roasteries, breweries and food trucks. 

James

Hey, I’m James. I’ve been working hospo since I was 20. Not long after entering the world of hospitality I opened my own cafe where I learnt a lot about the coffee industry and the challenges of running a business. During this venture I got to know the guys behind Prana, which soon enough led me to become part of the Prana Chai family.

You can now find me on the streets of London spreading the word of the good stuff, which has so far been an unreal opportunity!

Meet the founders

Vincent

Love to travel
Eat amazing food
Enjoy people’s company
Love competitive sports
Love this company and what it means to others and also the smile People get when they talk about prana chai and how it’s a part of their daily routine. Luv it!!!

Mario

I am 28 years old, super fit and like sky diving, fire breathing and my new found past time of juggling infant cougars while walking a tightrope! No just kidding. I'm a middle-aged bald man that loves travel and spending time with my family. I feel blessed and very lucky to be working at Prana Chai because, well, it's not work. I really love the team and that we consider each other family. The product has many positive effects on people and their businesses so it's a real pleasure to share.

Koray

Camus, Fowles, Marquez, Auster and Pamuk type of guy who loves his family, friends and all types of sports. Especially basketball. That's all you need to know at this stage :-) Happy to tell you more if you visit us at the factory.

Sharing our knowledge

We appreciate your interest in our history and our products. If you have friends or family who loves high quality, hand made sticky chai please help us reach them by sharing our story.