T’ees: the Luxembourgish iced tea that’s having a positive impact

William Gzella, Yves Miltgen, Aleks Panzone and Mika Welter are students. Driven by their entrepreneurial passion, the four became colleagues when they decided to embark on an ambitious project: to produce their own iced tea locally, sustainably and using natural ingredients, all while supporting a good cause.

T’ees is an iced tea that came into being in March 2023, when three students of the Master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Luxembourg and one student of the Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management at Lunex threw themselves into the world of entrepreneurship. They decided to distance themselves completely from the digital world and turn their attention to something much more tangible and present in everyday life: beverages. An ambitious project in a market with many products and brands making the same promises. But the four young entrepreneurs stand out for their commitment.

A project that’s making a difference on all fronts

T’ees aims to be local, healthy, eco-friendly and inclusive. The drinks are produced by Autisme Luxembourg, an association serving people with autism spectrum disorders. “This social aspect is very important to us,” explains Mika Welter. “We’re proud to showcase their work at retail outlets, especially as it allows members of the association to take pride in their work themselves.“

Sustainability is also important: a tree is planted for every 100 bottles sold. The bottles are made of glass only, to make them easier to recycle.

Finally, the founders, who are passionate about sport, wanted to create a healthy, high-quality product. “The ingredients are 100% natural, with no added sugar apart from honey, and no chemicals or preservatives,” says Mika Welter. “Whenever possible, the products are local, like the apples and strawberries, which come from Luxembourg.“

A meteoric rise

Active on the market since March 2023, the small team can look back on respectable growth on the Luxembourg market, with more than 2,000 bottles sold per month, and other products in the pipeline, such as an apple-strawberry flavour. “The Master in Entrepreneurship and Innovation really helped us to build up a solid network of contacts,” says Aleks Panzone. “We were also able to count on the support of the University, in particular the professors, as well as mentors in the University’s Incubator & Entrepreneurship Programme. If I had one piece of advice for future students, it would be to try to turn your ideas into reality and to persist, even if you fail and must try to launch another project. Trying means giving yourself the chance to succeed.“