Students looking at Taher’s selection of juices, teas, and sodas in the drink fridges may have noticed a new addition to the menu: kombucha. Kombucha, a fermented, slightly fizzy tea drink, has only been ordered by Taher twice, but students are already enjoying the new beverage. 

The cafeteria is selling peach and tropical flavored kombucha. Although it is the cafeteria manager Lynn Lynch’s job to decide what to sell at the cafeteria, she asked for the input of students to decide which flavors to sell. “I met with some students that were on a free period one day… [My sales rep] brought me some flavors, and I sat down with the kids and we tested them and picked which ones we thought would sell and which ones we didn’t like at all,” Lynch said.

Kombucha has a variety of health benefits, such as aiding with digestion and boosting the immune system. Including a healthy option was one of the major reasons Lynch chose kombucha for the menu. “I think kids are very health-conscious here… there are certain kids, students, adults that like [kombucha]. I like to have some healthy options that we could get in here,” Lynch said. 

One downside of kombucha is the price. Right now, each can is $3.95, compared to cheaper drinks like Snapple ($2.00) or juice boxes ($1.00). Unfortunately, this isn’t likely to change; kombucha has to be expensive for students because it’s costly for Lynch to purchase. “It costs me a lot… it’s very expensive for me to purchase as well… not everyone can afford it… I don’t think it’s gonna fly out the door,” Lynch said. 

However, despite its price tag, Lynch quickly sold out of her first two shipments of kombucha. “I think the price is a deterrent, a little bit, for some people, but we still sold out of them all within two days. And I ordered a lot more the second time than I did the first time,” Lynch said. 

Along with the kombucha, Lynch ordered Healthy Roots Juice, a cold-pressed juice made from organic fruits and vegetables. Both the juice and the kombucha are made extra-special as they are locally sourced. “The company I get them from is BIX Produce, and everything is local… We also get a lot of our produce now from them,” Lynch said. 

Lynch and the Taher staff are constantly trying to keep their menu updated to students’ tastes. Everything is based around the students, and ideas are welcomed. “You gotta stay up on what the students are eating and where, and what they’re looking for. I try to meet with the students, sit down and talk with them,” Lynch said.