Coke conquers

Pepsi to stop being served on campus

Carbonation controversy split the campus when President Jerry Falwell let students voice their opinion in a decision between having Coke products or Pepsi products on Liberty’s campus. The announcement was made during Convocation Sept. 23 and students were able to text either “Coke” or “Pepsi” to 24502 to cast their vote.

After the votes were cast, Falwell tweeted Sept. 24 that 2,985 students voted for Coke and 2,713 students voted for Pepsi, indicating that the entire campus will switch to Coke products.

Louis Cambeletta, director of food service operations, said that the transition from Pepsi to Coke will happen by Jan. 31 but that the process will hopefully be finished a few weeks sooner when the Reber-Thomas Dinning Hall officially reopens after winter break. Although dining services are trying to push the changes to be made sooner, Liberty’s contract with Pepsi officially ends Jan. 31.

“Really it came down … to the students,” Cambeletta said. “Financially there wasn’t much difference between Coke and Pepsi. (This) is rare (because) usually Pepsi has won out financially, but Coke really stepped up and put a proposal together that was very good. At the end of the day, the president decided that since it was so close financially that he would let the students decide.”

The transition will remove all Pepsi products on Liberty’s campus.

“Anything that is owned by Pepsi … will no longer be served on our campus,” Cambeletta said. “All of the main brands that you see now … will go (away). Really the only brand that will stay on campus is Dr Pepper but only in the fountain. We won’t be able to sell bottles of Dr Pepper, but we will be able to pour it from our fountains.”

According to Cambeletta, Coke products will be served in vending machines and at all of the dining services locations on campus. Some of the new additions will include Coke, Diet Coke, Mello Yellow, Monster drinks, Vitamin Water and Powerade. Even the tea will change from Lipton to Gold Peak and the juices will change from Dole to Minute Maid.

Cambeletta said that he will be overseeing the communication between the Sodexo team and Coke team to ensure that the transition is going smoothly.

“As you can imagine, with as large as our campus is, every single vending machine will have to be changed out,” Cambeletta said. “There is just a lot to do.”

Cambeletta said that the length of the partnership is still undetermined at this point but that it will most likely be a five-year contract with Coke.

Sophomore Adam Shull said that he is on board with the transition to Coke products.

“I usually use the vending machines to grab a drink between classes,” Shull said. “I prefer Coke to Pepsi, but I will miss the … Mountain Dew (Code Red).”

Shull also said that he prefers Minute Maid juice to Dole juice, and he is excited to see the brand on campus.

“Overall though I think that it will be a good change,” Shull said.

FOLEY is the asst. news editor.