While this year's increased seating, food options and hours this year in the new Blue Room are hard to miss, a more subtle change has taken place. The Blue Room, which formerly served Green Mountain Coffee, now serves Sun Coffee Roasters.
The change was made during the re-evaluation of the menu and products that accompanied the Blue Room's renovation, according to Ann Hoffman, director of administration and human resources for Dining Services. Sun was chosen by "a panel of representatives from Brown, including students" that determined, based on taste and other factors, that Sun "offered the best overall package," Hoffman wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
Like the company that preceded it, Sun is "a fair trade line" dedicated to "sustainable growing practices," she added.
Based in Plainville, Conn., and in operation since April 2009, Sun already sells coffee to 80 colleges and universities nationwide. On its website, the company calls itself "one of the most technologically advanced roasters and packagers of Organic Fair Trade coffee in the United States."
To be certified Fair Trade, companies must pay coffee farmers a minimum price of $1.26 per pound of coffee beans. This requirement helps coffee farmers escape the cycle of debt created when they receive less for their coffee than it costs to produce the beans, which often occurs when developed countries buy from developing countries. Fair Trade practices improve the standard of living for farmers and their communities and benefit the environment.
While the benefits of movements involving organic or Fair Trade goods are generally supported at the University, there is great variation in reactions to the taste of the new coffee. Jasmine Lee '12 said she noticed no change in the flavor, while Gypsy Vidal '12 said she did notice a difference, though she said she does not necessarily think it is for the better. Lauren Beeder '13, on the other hand, said she finds the new coffee to be a definite improvement.
For now, the Blue Room has been "managing the transition," which involves focusing on operational matters such as distribution and invoicing, said Associate Director of Dining Services Peter Rossi. Sun has initiated a "Wake Up Your Campus" campaign that donates a percentage of every pound of coffee sold on campus to a scholarship fund to promote sustainable living. "Once the changeover is complete, we will begin to explore these opportunities," Rossi said.
