MILKLAB Backs Cafés Facing Tougher Times With a $10,000 Tip Every Month

Australia’s Greatest Tip is MILKLAB’s thank you to the baristas who keep us caffeinated.

MILKLAB, a brand built on 10 years of collaboration with Australian baristas whose range has been developed hand in hand with cafes and coffee experts, is giving back to the hospitality industry during what is the toughest time for their community with its Australia’s Greatest Tip initiative, handing over $10,000 every month.

The initiative is the brand’s way of saying thank you to the very cafes that helped build it into the country’s #1 barista-favourite plant milk brand. All cafe owners or baristas need to do is film and share short videos capturing the moments only they understand: latte art, workplace friendships, the customer orders they’ll never forget. One standout entry is then selected to receive $10,000 (or the prize of $5,000 each is shared between café and barista).

The generous tip initiative couldn’t have come at a better time with mounting pressure on the Australian small business community following changes to card surcharge payments which have forced many cafes to absorb more of the cost of doing business. For cafes, keeping the doors open is getting tougher, with one in eight cafés and other food outlets closing in the past year.

Launched in August this year, the first $10,000 was awarded to Cafe Briquettes in Kew, Melbourne who gave the brand a nod to MILKLAB’s popular almond milk here. Then, in September, cafe Jozo in Paddington Sydney earned the generous trip for their highly entertaining day in the life of their cafe. Watch Jozo’s winning reel here.

Jozo Barista Johnny Phonafai says, “It’s no secret things are tough for small businesses right now, and cafés are feeling it. Winning Australia’s Greatest Tip is a huge help for me and the whole team at Jozo. We’re so grateful to MILKLAB for backing the people behind the counter.”

Natalie Latimore, General Manager Marketing at MILKLAB says, “MILKLAB wouldn’t exist without baristas and café owners. They’re the reason our brand tastes and performs the way it does.“

Right now, a lot of cafés are doing it tough, and we wanted to say thank you in a way that makes a real difference. The work of a barista or café owner is physically demanding and often underappreciated, and Australia’s Greatest Tip is our way of giving that role the recognition it deserves.”

October’s theme is MILKLAB Lactose Free, so cafe owners and baristas, it’s time to get creative, film your reels, post it, tag @milklabco and use #AustraliasGreatestTip. See full initiative instructions below: 

Here’s How Cafe’s and Baristas Can Enter MILKLAB’s Australia’s Greatest Tip:

STEP 1: FILM IT: Create a video showcasing the month’s theme. The judges are looking for creativity, community fun, a great team vibe, and bonus points for putting in the extra effort to showcase everything Aussies love about MILKLAB.

STEP 2: POST IT: Share your video on Instagram or TikTok. Tag @milklabco and use #AustraliasGreatestTip to enter.

STEP 3: YOU’RE IN: From the submissions, MILKLAB will choose the most memorable and creative entry to take home $10,000 cash.

The campaign launches alongside two product milestones for the brand: a reformulated MILKLAB Lactose Free, using ultrafiltration technology to deliver the same barista-grade texture and froth baristas already rely on, and an upgraded MILKLAB Soy, refined for consistency across espresso-based drinks. Both are available in Woolworths stores across Australia, giving Australians the chance to bring home the same product baristas have been perfecting behind the counter.

“Every café has a work bestie, a regular with an order that makes no sense, a Chux-folding hack nobody outside the industry would understand,” Natalie Latimore said. “We’re asking baristas to show us what café life is really like, and we’ll be rewarding the best of it, every single month.”

Entries for October’s tip are open now on MILKLAB’s Instagram. Baristas and café teams can enter by posting their video, tagging @milklabco and using #AustraliasGreatestTip.