‘Australia’s Greatest Tip’: MilkLab puts $10,000 a month into baristas’ pockets
Coffee milk brand MilkLab is handing out $10,000 every month to a barista or café owner through a new campaign, Australia’s Greatest Tip, aimed at supporting small businesses under financial pressure.
Tough trading conditions have sent many hospitality venues to the wall over the last couple of years and with the ban on credit card surcharges, things could get worse.
MilkLab is aiming to reverse café owners’ woes.
Latest winners
The most recent recipients of MilkLab’s generosity are Johnny Phonafai, a barista at Jozo Paddington in Sydney, and the café itself, which each received $5,000. The first winner was Café Briquettes in Kew, Melbourne.
“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,” Phonafai said.
How it works
The campaign runs as a monthly Instagram content challenge. Baristas and café teams submit videos showing their work and creativity, with the best entry rewarded each month. According to MilkLab, the program is part of giving back to the coffee community that has been integral to the brand’s development.
Natalie Latimore, GM, Marketing at MilkLab, said the program was designed to deliver more than recognition.
“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.”
Latimore said the campaign also aims to showcase the culture of café life.
“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. 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.”
Jonathan Jackson, 4th November 2026
