SO MUCH More Than Just a Cup of Tea

Published on Feb 17, 2026

Why We Created Gumboot Tea

Sometimes the biggest conversations start with the simplest things.

A cup of tea.
A quiet moment.
Someone asking, “Hey… are you doing okay?”

At Health Pak, we know products can do more than just fill hotel rooms, airline carts, or café shelves. They can create conversations. They can create awareness. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, they can help create real change.

That’s exactly why we created Gumboot Tea.

Tea With A Purpose

We partnered with Gumboot Friday / I AM HOPE because the reality facing many young New Zealanders is heartbreaking.

Too many kids are struggling.
Too many families are waiting too long for help.
And too many young people feel like they are walking through mud every single day.

Gumboot Friday exists to provide free and timely counselling for young Kiwis who need support — without the long waitlists, barriers, or costs that too many families face.

We wanted to find a way that Health Pak could help year-round.

So we did what we know best.

We made tea.

Turning Everyday Products Into Everyday Impact

Gumboot Tea is a simple idea with a powerful purpose.

A quality black tea.
Plastic and foil free packaging.
And 10% of every sale going directly toward supporting youth mental health counselling in New Zealand.

But for us, this was never just about fundraising.

It was about normalising conversations around mental health.

Because there’s something uniquely human about sitting down with someone over a good cuppa. Some of the hardest conversations become just a little easier when there’s tea involved.

If Gumboot Tea encourages even one more conversation…
One more check in…
One more “you alright mate?”…

Then it’s doing exactly what we hoped it would.

The Power Of Small Actions

One of the things we love most about this project is that it proves small actions matter.

Most people won’t be able to personally fund hundreds of counselling sessions.
Most businesses won’t single-handedly solve the mental health crisis.

But collectively?

Small actions become big outcomes.

To date, together, we have raised $76,537.21, but almost more importantly, we have helped promote the issue of youth mental health and maybe even started some much needed conversations over 126,200 cups of good old gumboot tea.
And potentially life-changing help for young people who needed it at exactly the right time.

That’s something pretty special.

More Than Business

At Health Pak, we’ve always believed business should be about more than just selling products.

If we can use what we do every day to support communities, protect the environment, and help people — then why wouldn’t we?

Gumboot Tea is one small part of that bigger philosophy.

And while it might just look like a humble tea bag sitting beside a hotel kettle… to us, it represents hope, kindness, and the incredible things that can happen when people come together to help others.

So next time you make a cup of Gumboot Tea, remember:

You’re not just having tea.

You’re helping someone get the support they need.