JunTes
A Honey-Based Fermented Drink for Connection & Well-Being2024 | IED Bilbao, Master in Food Design
JunTes is a honey-based kombucha (Jun) designed to reconnect younger generations with honey through a refreshing, fermented alternative. Combining tradition, innovation, and sustainability, JunTes transforms honey’s perception—from something outdated and overly sweet to a modern, functional, and social beverage.
Concept & Inspiration: In the Basque Country, honey has deep cultural and ecological significance, yet fewer than 6% of young adults consume it regularly. Many perceive it as impractical and too sweet, leading to a decline in beekeeping practices. Inspired by fermentation as a metaphor for collaboration, JunTes reimagines honey as a social and wellness-focused drink, bridging the gap between consumers, local beekeepers, and sustainability.
The name JunTes reflects this idea of transformation and togetherness:
“Jun” refers to Jun kombucha, a honey-based fermented tea, known for its probiotic benefits.
“Tes” (Spanish for “teas”) highlights the importance of green tea, the other essential ingredient in the drink.
Together, JunTes symbolizes fermentation as a process of change—both in flavor and in how we connect with tradition and community.
From Micro to Macro JunTes is an exploration of scale, transformation, and interdependence—from the unseen microbial world to the larger ecosystems of culture and sustainability.
On a micro level, the fermentation process is a living collaboration, where bacteria and yeast transform honey into something new, just as traditions evolve over time.
On a macro level, the drink represents a human-scale transformation, connecting people to beekeepers, to the land, and to each other through a shared sensory experience.
Visually, the project plays with organic textures, hexagonal structures, and fermentation patterns, reflecting the natural processes at work in both microbial and human communities.
Process & Materials:Fermentation: The drink is made using honey, green tea, and a Jun SCOBY, creating a probiotic-rich, mildly effervescent kombucha-style beverage.
Design & Storytelling: The packaging integrates visual storytelling with portraits of local beekeepers, connecting consumers to the origins of their drink.
Sustainability: Packaging is designed with recycled aluminum and reusable glass, promoting circular economy principles.
Sensorial Interaction – Spherification & Bubble Tea Experimentation:
To enhance the sensory experience and introduce elements of texture and surprise, I experimented with reverse spherification techniques. Inspired by bubble tea, this variation incorporates edible spheres that burst with flavor, adding a playful and interactive component to JunTes. This approach not only adds textural contrast but also engages consumers in a multisensory tasting experience, deepening their connection to the beverage.
Outcome & Reflection: JunTes is more than a drink—it’s a social innovation project and an artistic exploration of transformation. It challenges traditional perceptions of honey while supporting mental and gut health, ecological awareness, and cultural storytelling. By merging food design, fermentation, and visual storytelling, this project explores new ways to connect people through taste, memory, and sustainability, reminding us that even the smallest transformations—whether microbial or social—can have a profound impact.