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

Sandra

When I am not spreading the Prana love around Europe, you can usually find me painting or trying new vegan recipes for the occasional feast with my loved ones. I enjoy spending time in nature and making music with my better half.

The Prana Chai family has shown me that it is possible to have the ultimate dream job and it has given me wonderful new family members all around the globe. And nothing gets better than this.

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.

Meghan

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

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! ❤️

Marcus

After years in the specialty coffee industry and owning my own cafes in NSW, I started with Prana Chai after helping out at MICE in 2018. The journey with Prana has allowed me to build on my food and beverage passion. 

I love being part of a team full of individual personalities across the globe who come together with a common goal to provide great service and a wonderful consistent product.  I love to stay active and healthy so I can eat all day. If anyone is looking to hire a food critic please let me know!

Harry

Hi! People call me Harry or Hazza. I am originally from Nepal, top of the world and my real name is Heera. I have been in the hospitality industry since 2009 and as you can guess I love to be around people and cafes.

When I am not socialising I love to be around nature. I love to bake and cook new dishes, sometimes it goes straight into the bin, bit sad. My hobbies are drawing, riding motorcycles and listening to chilled reggae and deep house. 

I grew up drinking Chai, we call it “Chiyaa”. There are many people who don’t drink coffee here in Australia but almost everyone drinks Chai in Nepal. I am proud to be part of the Prana Chai team and spread the Chai love to all Chai lovers.

Ben

After a brief stint working with Prana Chai in New York back in 2014, Ben is back with the team heading up Victoria Sales.

When he's not sampling the good stuff across Victoria you will generally find him drinking black coffee, enjoying whiskeys, cooking a mean breakfast and chasing the sunshine. 

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!


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 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. 

Gerin

My name is Gerin, I have always worked in the hospitality industry and I always enjoy a cup of chai!

I wanted to join the Prana family after trying Prana Chai. The best thing about our chai is that we make it by hand. And it's a great team to work with!


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.

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.

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. 

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

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.