Stay thirsty for knowledge: How an anniversary iced tea brings four partners together
60 years of Johannes Kepler University Linz: what does a research and educational institution do with such an anniversary? It celebrates in its own way – not with a simple ceremony, but with a campaign that takes its core principle literally: “Stay thirsty for knowledge.” And it seeks out partners who share this ambition.
The result is an iced tea in JKU design, packaged in a 0.75-liter Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic carton from Elopak. Throughout the summer, it is distributed free of charge at JKU – on campus, at the Long Night of Research, and at the JKU Summer Ball. Behind this giveaway, which symbolizes a thirst for knowledge in a practical yet refreshing way, lies a collaboration between science, industry, and the circular economy. The project was implemented so efficiently and effectively that only a few weeks passed from the final design to the first distribution.
Packaging as a messenger
The drink itself is a peach-flavored black tea, supplied by Pfanner, the Austrian beverage manufacturer based in Vorarlberg. The packaging features the colorful JKU stripes and visually represents what has driven the university for 60 years: curiosity, innovation, courage, responsibility, and vision. The packaging thus becomes a medium that delivers the anniversary campaign’s message directly to the consumer’s hand. The first distribution took place on April 10 as part of the JKU Open House. The anniversary iced tea was met with a positive response from the outset.
Four partners, one goal
The project is based on close collaboration between JKU, Pfanner, Elopak, and ARA – the Austrian system for the collection and recycling of packaging. Each partner contributes its specific expertise: Pfanner brings production know-how for iced teas and fruit juices, Elopak provides the packaging solution, and ARA contributes its expertise in circular economy and recycling.
The project manager at JKU is Univ.-Prof. Dr. Jörg Fischer, who conducts research at the Institute of Polymer Materials and Circular Economy. ARA, in turn, has been working closely with the university in the field of plastics recycling for years. The decision to use fibre-based carton packaging was based partly on sustainability considerations, while materials such as PET were ruled out due to practical reasons. As in Germany, PET is part of the national deposit system, which would have significantly complicated the implementation of such a special project. The carton solution was the logical alternative – and, from the perspective of the partners involved, also the more appropriate one.
Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic: the packaging solution
Elopak supplies the 0.75-liter Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic carton for the “Stay Thirsty for Knowledge” iced tea. This aseptic carton offers a long shelf life without refrigeration when unopened – ideal for a product distributed at events over several months. The vibrant JKU design, featuring the university’s signature stripes, truly shines on the Pure-Pak® Sense carton: four flat sides, excellent printability, and clean lines.
Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic – at a glance
Quick implementation, wide distribution
What is particularly striking about this project is the speed of its implementation. After the project launch at the end of January, the final design was completed by the end of February 2026. By early April, the first cartons were already on the JKU campus. This requires reliable and collaborative teamwork from all parties involved, from design creation and print data approval to filling and logistics.
The refreshing iced tea is distributed at the JKU Open House, the Long Night of Research, and the JKU Summer Ball in June. At all these events people come together, engage in discussions, and stay curious – an ideal setting for the “Stay Thirsty for Knowledge” campaign.
What this project shows
For Elopak, the “Stay Thirsty for Knowledge” iced tea is an excellent example of how the Pure-Pak® Sense Aseptic carton can be used beyond traditional distribution channels – as a communication tool within a specific institutional context, with short production cycles and a clearly defined concept. The collaboration with JKU, Pfanner, and ARA demonstrates that packaging projects of this kind work particularly well when all partners are involved from an early stage and jointly develop a coherent overall concept.
And perhaps that in itself is a form of thirst for knowledge: the willingness to think beyond one’s own daily production routine and to turn an anniversary into a collaborative project that conveys more than just iced tea.
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