For the past four years Dining  Services and Racer Hospitality has been serving Seattle’s Best Coffee, but now they are brewing up Java City’s coffee.

Paula Amols, director of Dining Services and Racer Hospitality, said the decision to replace Seattle’s Best Coffee with Java City came about because the price of Seattle’s Best Coffee has continued to raise over the years.

Amols said this jump in price was not reflected in the prices customers were paying

A change had to be made, she said.

“We felt it was a good, socially-conscious, switch,” Amols said.

Java City donates coffee to homeless shelters and other non-profit organizations and participates in charitable events across the country, according to its website.       

Java City coffee regularly donates a portion of their proceeds to charities and initiatives to help with modern social issues.

Amols said later on in the year Murray State students will be given the opportunity to vote which organization benefits from the Java City sales on campus.

Java City has also agreed to create a unique “Racer” blend coffee just for Murray State. 

With this transition the brand of tea bags for sale has also switched from Tazo tea to Bewley’s tea.

Amy Crump, manager of Retail Operations for Dining Services and Racer Hospitality, said by serving Java City products there is a chance the cost of hot tea on campus may decrease but there isn’t a possibility of price reduction for coffee in the near future.

Ashley Travis, junior from Shelbyville, Ky., said she wasn’t fond of the new coffee being served, but it would be okay for someone who just wants a quick cup of coffee.

“The quality is really bad,” she said. “I would rather make my own.”

Travis said she gave the new coffee a chance, but she ended up throwing it out.

“It tastes burnt,” she said. “And there’s no telling how long it has been in (the pot).”

Shelby Hall, senior from Louisville, Ky., said she drinks coffee from campus three to four times a week and she can’t taste the difference between brands.

The brand switch is only in  Waterfield Library, Business Express, the Throroughbred Room and Winslow.

Hart Cafe and Throroughbrewed Cafe will continue to serve Starbucks coffee.

Story by Mari-Alice Jasper, Assistant News Editor, and Amanda Grau, News Editor