Students can now only purchase Pepsi products on campus, following Seton Hall's signing of a contract with PepsiCo over the summer.
As a result, Coca-Cola products will no longer be sold on campus.
“Seton Hall University has transitioned to PepsiCo as its exclusive beverage partner,” University Relations wrote in an email to The Setonian. “The community will see Pepsi products on all campuses starting this semester.”
According to University Relations, SHU periodically reviews its beverage contracts, and PepsiCo presented the most competitive offer during the most recent bid process.
As a result of this change, students have mixed feelings. Some don’t mind the change and like it, while others are outraged.
Meghan Grace, a junior social and behavioral science major, said she understands why SHU made the switch.
“It’s whatever benefits [SHU] more and [PepsiCo],” Grace said. “I know many of my friends are very upset with the change but then others are so ecstatic that they literally bought a meal plan.”
While Grace said she prefers Coca-Cola, she isn’t a huge soda drinker.
“This doesn’t affect me as a student, but all my friends are saying how much [they] need to go off campus to buy [Coca-Cola] products,” Grace said.
Grace’s friend, Isabelle Bubrowiecki, a junior social work major, said she has strong feelings about SHU’s switch to PepsiCo products.
“All the vending machines, all these new [soda] fountains…terrible options,” Bubrowiecki said. “It’s depressing. I have to walk past it and not see my Dr. Pepper.”
With the switch, Bubrowiecki said she has occasionally been drinking Brisk Iced Tea.
“[SHU] should resign a contract with Coke and get rid of Pepsi,” Bubrowiecki added.
One of Bubrowiecki’s friends, John Artuso, a junior political science major, said he found out the news through someone’s Instagram note a week before moving back to campus. He said he strongly prefers Coca-Cola products over Pepsi products.
“When I go to diners and they say that they ‘have Pepsi, but they don't have Coke, is that okay?’ I say, ‘No, it is not okay. I will get something else. Thank you,’” Artuso said.
Artuso said that he’s aware of the change and he doesn’t like it. He believes that SHU offered more drink options on campus when Coca-Cola was its official beverage partner.
“If you want to get new machines, if you want to make them look all nice and sparkly and whatever, then great, get new Coke machines,” Artuso said. “You don't need to sign a brand new deal with the soda that no one really likes.”
Because of the new options, Artuso said he’s been drinking more water.
Jacob Amos-Flom, a senior finance major, said he was confused when he first started seeing Pepsi products on campus, as all previous years had Coca-Cola, but is happy with the change, as there is more variety in the dining hall.
“It just brings me joy that I see that we actually have Gatorade instead of Powerade in the caf,” Amos-Flom said.
While the students remain divided on the politics of soda, the Pepsi reign at SHU has officially begun.
Dominique Mercadante is the Editor in Chief of The Setonian. She can be reached at dominique.mercadante@student.shu.edu.
