By June Leffler
The Tulip Tree Café in the Ekstrom Library might be going local with its products. The University of Louisville is deciding whether to replace the current supplier, Starbucks, with the local coffee business, Heine Brothers. This change is designed to not only help community business, but also promote fair trade and eco-friendly efforts that Heine Brothers are known to offer.
It is unclear when the final decision will be made, as representatives from Heine Brothers, the Food Advisory Board and Sodexo have each suggested different deadlines.
Sodexo Resident District Manager Matti Verder said the decision is waiting on the Student Government Association’s consensus on which business U of L students’ favor.
The Food Advisory Board is gathering these opinions on which company students would prefer through such efforts as surveys through ULink.
“We’re taking students’ opinions that are brought to us, so that we can talk to Sodexo representatives to see what can be done,” said Food Advisory Board member Brian Berling.
Berling explained that students are leaning towards Heine Brothers for the local business and fair trade.
“If Heine Brothers comes in the quality would definitely go up,” said freshman English major Ashley Shelden. “The fact that students pour money into sub-par coffee is sad. The change could bring quality drinks and stimulate the local economy.”
Heine Brothers Director of Operations Andrea Trimmer said the company is ready to make the transition as soon as the university confirms.
The Tulip Tree Café would not be an official Heine Brothers location; Heine Brothers would not take over management of the café. They would supply the café with items from their store such as the organic and fair trade coffee and tea, local honey and biodegradable supplies.
“The farmers we buy from get paid much better than others in the market,” Trimmer said. “And we’re treating mother earth much better.”
