ChaiTea Blends Wellness and Youth Culture in Functional Iced Tea

ChaiTea is the brainchild of two seasoned entrepreneurs who have already made their mark in Poland’s health-focused FMCG sector. Michał Czerwiński, co-founder and former CEO of Purella Superfoods, rose to prominence by co-creating the BeRAW snack brand with fitness icon Ewa Chodakowska – a venture that became one of Poland’s fastest-growing healthy food lines[1]. He led Purella through a headline M&A deal in 2022, merging it with the Bakalland dried foods business to form FoodWell, a new industry leader with annual revenues over PLN 600 million[1]. Czerwiński now serves as CEO and investor at Best Drinks Company, ChaiTea’s parent firm, bringing his high-growth playbook to the beverage space[2].

Artur Gajewski, ChaiTea’s product innovation lead, adds complementary expertise. An R&D strategist with 15+ years in fast-moving consumer goods, Gajewski was a board member for Marketing and R&D at Purella Superfoods from 2017–2021, where he developed portfolios of functional snacks fortified with superfoods, vitamins, and minerals[3][4]. He spearheaded the development of the BeRAW product line – one of Poland’s first clean-label, lifestyle snack brands – translating consumer health trends into successful products[4]. Gajewski later oversaw new product strategy at FoodWell (the Bakalland/Purella group), establishing an innovation center and pipeline of trend-driven offerings[5]. Now as ChaiTea’s Vice President leading product and R&D, he leverages this background to craft the brand’s next-generation beverages.

Reimagining Iced Tea for Gen Z and Millennials

ChaiTea’s ChaiKola Classic and Cherry flavors exemplify the brand’s fusion of real tea extracts with cola-inspired flavor, offering a healthier twist on traditional sodas.

ChaiTea presents itself as a modern alternative to mass-market CSDs (carbonated soft drinks), targeting Gen Z and Millennial consumers with a fusion of wellness, design, and youth culture. The brand’s core concept is to redefine the iced tea category with healthy, chai-based beverages that don’t sacrifice style[6]. In practice, this means ChaiTea brews are built on natural tea extracts (black, green, or yerba mate) combined with distinctive spices like cinnamon and ginger and real fruit juices[6]. The result is a refreshing yet functional drink that delivers an “energizing alternative” to sugar-laden sodas[7]. All recipes are naturally formulated with no added sweeteners or preservatives, and lower sugar levels than typical soft drinks[8]. For instance, the flagship ChaiKola – a cola-inspired black tea soda – contains only 8.5 g of sugar per 100 ml and uses zero artificial colorings or preservatives, making it a “smarter, healthier choice” for the calorie-conscious[9]. This clean-label ethos aligns with the values of young consumers seeking great taste without compromise on health or sustainability.

ChaiTea’s initial portfolio spans several trend-targeted product lines: – ChaiGreen: a green tea-based iced beverage focused on wellness and “better-for-you” hydration, launched as a new Wellbeing Green Tea line in 2025’s expansion[10].

ChaiMate: a Yerba Mate-infused sparkling tea energy drink, blending black tea and natural caffeine for a plant-based boost (about 30–50 mg caffeine per 100 ml). It offers an alternative to artificial energy drinks, delivering “natural energy” from tea and yerba mate extracts instead of synthetic additives[11].

ChaiKola: a lightly carbonated chai cola, pairing black tea extract with kola nut, ginger, cinnamon, and clove. Available in Classic and Cherry flavors, ChaiKola provides the familiar cola taste with a fraction of the sugar and a tea-based caffeine kick, appealing to teens and adults alike[9]. All variants are 100% vegan and gluten-free, with only natural ingredients – no syrups or chemical sweeteners[8].

By sitting at the intersection of wellness trends, edgy design, and youth lifestyle, ChaiTea aims to turn a humble tea into a culture-driven beverage brand. “Today’s young consumer doesn’t need a discount – they need a reason to be part of something bigger. ChaiTea creates that space,” Czerwiński noted in a recent statement[12], underscoring the brand’s focus on community and experience over just product.

High-Profile Launch with Influencer Partnerships

From the outset, ChaiTea’s go-to-market strategy has leaned heavily into social media and influencer-driven buzz – fitting for a Gen Z-oriented brand. This summer, the company unveiled a limited-edition collab with DRE$$CODE, one of Poland’s most influential Gen Z content collectives, to mark its launch. The partnership introduced two ChaiTea x DRE$$CODE co-branded flavors (Peach and Berry) sold exclusively at Żabka convenience stores[13]. In a model echoing Czerwiński’s prior success with celebrity partnerships, the DRE$$CODE deal is structured on a revenue-sharing basis – a “deliberate strategic move” that allows a young brand to achieve outsized impact even with limited budgets[14]. The DRE$$CODE creators, known for blending fashion, lifestyle and viral content, gave ChaiTea instant street cred among young trendsetters. In the first four weeks of the campaign, user-generated posts tagged #ChaiTea x DRE$$CODE amassed over 30 million views and 2 million interactions, predominantly on TikTok and Instagram[15]. These record engagement numbers underscore how ChaiTea tapped directly into Gen Z’s online zeitgeist out of the gate.

The brand didn’t stop at passive influencer marketing – it actively spurred participation through a viral UGC campaign tied to a once-in-a-lifetime prize. Upon selling 1 million cans in its first 3 weeks, ChaiTea launched a creative contest in partnership with Żabka: fans were challenged to build art installations using ChaiTea cans for a chance to win a week-long trip to Burning Man in Nevada[16]. The activation not only drove sales (by encouraging multi-pack purchases for building materials), but also reinforced ChaiTea’s community ethos around creativity, sustainability and adventure. “We wanted to create something more than a standard promotion – a format that naturally generates user-generated content, organic reach and consumer loyalty,” explains Artur Gajewski of the campaign’s design[17]. In addition to the grand Burning Man experience (to be undertaken with the ChaiTea & DRE$$CODE team), the contest awarded runners-up with limited-edition swag and product prizes, further amplifying excitement. By blending influencer hype with participatory challenges, ChaiTea’s launch marketing exemplified a dual focus on cultural relevance and consumer engagement, which has translated into both buzz and tangible sales momentum.

Riding the Functional Beverage Wave – Market Insights

ChaiTea’s emergence comes as the definition of “iced tea” is rapidly evolving within the broader beverage industry. According to a comprehensive market analysis, iced tea brands today compete within a massive functional beverages ecosystem worth $296.67 billion globally – not just the traditional refreshment category[18]. By 2035, this functional drinks market (encompassing everything from kombuchas to vitamin waters) is projected to grow at ~6.5% CAGR, illustrating the huge opportunity for products that deliver wellness benefits alongside flavor[18]. This shift has driven ChaiTea to position itself not simply as a tea, but as a functional wellness drink with crossover appeal. “Ice tea must evolve from basic refreshment to functional wellness delivery systems,” the report notes, highlighting ChaiTea’s strategy to infuse teas with vitamins, adaptogens or natural caffeine for added value[19].

Another insight shaping ChaiTea’s strategy is the Generation Z paradox in beverage consumption. Research shows that Gen Z’s reported intake of niche drinks is relatively low – for example, bubble tea accounts for only ~6% of their weekly drink consumption – yet these beverages command an outsized 95% of social media influence in the category[20]. In other words, what young consumers talk about online far exceeds what they actually drink regularly. This dynamic calls for a dual-track approach: one set of products that drive frequent, everyday consumption for revenue, and another that drives online buzz and brand cachet[21]. ChaiTea appears to be embracing this by offering both mainstream-friendly flavors (to capture volume) and buzzy collaborations or limited editions (to capture social mindshare). The DRE$$CODE campaign is a case in point – it may not contribute huge volume, but it hugely amplifies brand visibility among trend influencers.

Innovation and Sustainability as Growth Levers: Beyond consumer behavior, the iced tea category’s future will be propelled by technological and sustainability trends that ChaiTea is keen to leverage. Key growth levers identified in the industry include:

Cold-Brew Processing: Cold-brewed tea is emerging as a premium segment, valued at $10.1 billion in 2024 and expected to reach $15.1 billion by 2030[22]. This technique yields smoother, less bitter tea beverages while preserving more antioxidants, allowing brands to command 20–50% higher price points[23]. ChaiTea has signaled interest in cold-brew methods to enhance flavor and natural quality in its products.
AI-Powered Manufacturing: Advanced production tech is improving consistency and efficiency for beverage makers. AI-driven quality control systems can cut ingredient variability by up to 40% and optimize brewing in real-time, reducing waste and energy use by ~25–30%[24]. ChaiTea’s founders, coming from a tech-forward food startup background, are exploring such tools to scale up output without sacrificing quality.
Eco-Friendly Packaging: Sustainability is a must-have in ChaiTea’s brand ethos, aligning with broader industry shifts. Recycled PET bottles now command 35% of the beverage packaging market, followed by plant-based cartons at 25%[25]. Using recycled or bio-based packaging isn’t just eco-conscious – it’s become a competitive necessity as 67% of consumers consider packaging material in their purchase decisions[26]. ChaiTea has prioritized recyclable can packaging and is experimenting with biodegradable materials for future product lines. These practices dovetail with the brand’s positioning for an audience that cares about the planet as much as their own health.

Ambitious Growth Targets and Outlook

Backed by its founders’ credibility and an encouraging early market response, ChaiTea is now setting bold goals for the years ahead. In Poland’s RTD (ready-to-drink) tea market, long dominated by global players, ChaiTea has quickly carved out a niche – capturing roughly 1.1% market share by value, second only to the leading multinational brand Lipton[27]. This initial foothold, achieved within months of launch, has validated the brand’s model and gives it a platform to build on. The leadership team has publicly stated aims to reach 10% market share by 2030, which would firmly entrench ChaiTea as a top player in its category. In revenue terms, the company is targeting to exceed PLN 100 million (≈$25 million) in annual sales as it scales production and distribution nationwide. Achieving these ambitions will require continued product innovation and likely further capital – but with Czerwiński and Gajewski’s proven track records, industry observers are watching closely.

In the near term, ChaiTea plans to expand its lineup and partnerships. The fall season is expected to bring “more surprises”, including new product lines and creative activations, to maintain the brand’s momentum[28]. International expansion may also be on the horizon, especially as the founders eye the broader functional beverage boom across Europe. With its blend of wellness-driven formulas, savvy marketing, and experienced leadership, ChaiTea is positioning itself as a case study in how to launch a next-generation beverage brand. As the company likes to put it, they are doing things “the Chai way”, and in doing so, they just might brew up a serious challenger in the global iced tea arena.

Michal Czerwiński and Artur Gajewski bios[1][4][5]; ChaiTea brand materials and press release[6][29][30]; Comprehensive Analysis of the Ice Tea Market (2024)[18][20][31].
[1] [2] [8] [27] [29] ChaiTea_prezentacja_Prezentacja Marki
[3] [4] [5] Artur Gajewski – opis
[6] [7] HOME – ChaiTea
[9] ChaiKola – ChaiTea
[10] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [28] [30] ChaiTea wchodzi na rynek z impetem
[11] ChaiMate + ChaiKola Natural Cola Nuts Yerba Mate Tea Energy Drink Plant Based Soda Pack 12 x 330ml cans (Mix Flavours)
[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [31] Comprehensive Analysis of the Ice Tea Market