Cornell Dining welcoming a new coffee program to campus
After a year-long process that involved input from and collaboration with student groups and campus partners, Cornell Dining has selected La Colombe® Coffee Roasters as the primary retail coffee vendor across campus. This new vendor will replace Starbucks in Dining retail operations at the end of the Starbucks contract period in summer 2025.
La Colombe, headquartered in Philadelphia, was founded with a mission of crafting premium coffee for all. They've always believed that coffee isn't just about taste, but it's about integrity, innovation, and impact. They model that in their communities by partnering with local organizations who fight hunger, by protecting our planet through composting coffee grounds, and by assisting with community clean-ups. La Colombe's commitment to equal employment opportunity, and maintaining a workplace where employees feel respected and supported, are at the core of their ethical and sustainable business practices. Cornell Dining is proud to partner with a company that shares these values and priorities.
The Process
A selection process for a new vendor began after then-President Martha E. Pollack in May 2023 committed to reviewing Cornell’s contract with Starbucks and considering future vendors by fall 2024, acknowledging a Student Assembly resolution about Cornell’s vendor relationships.
Since that time, Cornell Dining and Student and Campus Life’s Purchasing Team have worked diligently to research and evaluate potential vendors to take on this portion of Cornell’s coffee business. Input came from the colleges and departments that house several cafés across campus, the Student Assembly Dining Committee, and the Coffee Club.
The evaluation included an anonymous tasting event held for students, staff, and faculty at Trillium at which hot coffee, decaf coffee, and cold brew from each participating vendor were sampled and rated by tasters. Along with these tasting events and feedback, the purchasing team reviewed vendor business practices, pricing structures, staff training and marketing support, specialized equipment needs, distribution plans, and more.
Coffee on Campus
As a result of this process, Cornell Dining will be serving a varying assortment of La Colombe drip coffee and espresso beverages at Amit Bhatia Libe Café, Bear Necessities, Bus Stop Bagels, Goldie’s Café, Jansen’s Market, Mattin’s Café, Rusty’s, and Trillium. Peet’s Coffee & Tea will continue to be offered at Café Jennie, Crossings Café, and Novick’s Café. Beginning in the summer of 2025, Peet’s products will also be offered at Atrium Café. Copper Horse Coffee will remain available at the College of Veterinary Medicine Café, Mann Café, and Martha’s Café. Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters will remain available at the Big Red Barn, Cornell Dairy Bar, and Green Dragon.
Sun Coffee Roasters drip coffee, already available at several of our residential dining rooms, will be expanded into the remaining residential dining rooms and will be adopted by Cornell Catering.
Cornell Dining is grateful to our campus partners and to the vendors who participated in the selection process! We’re looking forward to this transition this summer.
About Cornell Dining
Cornell Dining is consistently ranked in the Princeton Review's top ten for best campus food among all colleges and universities in the country! That high rating comes from customer surveys, and reflects Cornell Dining's commitment to serving high-quality foods that are healthy and creatively prepared with genuine care for a diverse community. Cornell Dining operates over 30 on-campus eateries -- which include residential dining rooms, cafés, coffeehouses, food courts, and convenience stores -- and serves more than 23,000 meals a day to members of the Cornell community. For more information, visit dining.cornell.edu.
About La Colombe
La Colombe began with two friends and one vision: to make people happy though coffee. After starting with a single café in Philadelphia, La Colombe developed into one of the pioneers of third wave coffee partnering with some of the culinary-world’s finest minds.
With three decades of coffee experience, La Colombe continues to provide signature classic blends and exceptional single-origin coffees to cafes, hotels, restaurants and retailers around the world while owning and operating 30 cafes across the country.