Just a few months have passed since Beyu Blue Coffee's grand opening on campus, but what is in store for its future?
At Thursday’s Duke University Student Dining Advisory Committee meeting, Beyu Blue owner Dorian Bolden, Trinity ’02, and general manager Clarence Butler presented their plan, including the addition of a matcha tea line next semester. They also emphasized how they are seeking ways to better engage the Duke community.
Managers of the café considered joining the campus' venues even before this year's opening. However, they didn't pursue that goal, because they were also interested in opportunities in downtown Durham at that time. The café went downtown, and—while maintaining that location—opened Beyù Blue at Duke.
“Our goal is not just to provide coffee,” Bolden said. “It’s to find ways to connect in other ways.”
Bolden explained that they have improved their processes for creating cold-brews and nitro-brews, using methods similar to those for French presses.
They have already done the research for a matcha tea line, and now just have to focus on training efforts.
“We’re completely ready to roll out the matcha tea line,” Butler said. “We’re just taking the time to introduce it right.”
Samantha Glover, Trinity ’18, pointed out how someone recently posted on Fix My Campus for another vendor to add matcha lattes to their menu.
Butler added that there will be many options for customizing the lattes. Customers can choose among unsweetened tea, added unsweetened syrup and sweetened tea. They can also add alternative milks, such as the venue's signature oat milk.
Bolden explained that the matcha tea, similar to chai tea, which uses a “very heavy chai tea concentrate,” which already has “some sweetness to it.”
Beyu Blue has also added its downtown favorites to the Duke menu—including the runaway latte and Carver’s peanut butter espresso. The downtown menu was also recently updated with options such as the peanut butter and jelly French toast sandwich for breakfast. However, with high volume and customers with nut allergies, Bolden acknowledges that serving drinks and food containing nuts is “difficult” and something that they are “thinking about.”
“Once we get things systemized downtown, we can apply them here,” Bolden said.
Working towards the mission of being the “ultimate meeting place,” Bolden elaborated that Beyu Blue wants to expand upon its customer engagement through promotions, especially ones that do not involve drink and food. For example, they are considering a partnership with Duke Stores, which will enable them to hold promotions such as a jersey giveaway.
Next semester, Beyu Blue is looking to “expand catering and breakfast items” and will also introduce different pastry items. Bolden noted that some pastries that sell well are morning buns–flaky, sugar cinnamon croissants that taste like cinnamon rolls–and vegan almond spice muffins, which the owner said are the favorite of
Bolden also noted that Beyu Blue customers are “more of an espresso drinking crowd.”
"We want to be the grab-and-go spot on campus," Bolden said.
When reflecting on the student perception of Beyu Blue, DUSDAC members and Duke Dining administrators spoke highly of the café. Duke Dining Director Robert Coffey said that he has heard "a lot of positive comments about the [Beyu Blue] team."
“Everyone’s so nice there,” said Grayson Crabtree, training and customer service coordinator. “They’re really welcoming.”
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Stefanie Pousoulides is The Chronicle's Investigations Editor. A senior from Akron, Ohio, Stefanie is double majoring in political science and international comparative studies and serves as a Senior Editor of The Muse Magazine, Duke's feminist magazine. She is also a former co-Editor-in-Chief of The Muse Magazine and a former reporting intern at PolitiFact in Washington, D.C.