BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS: Blugold Roast Keeps Brewing
born from a class project, local coffee company has become a staple on UW-Eau Claire campus
Waking up for an early morning is never easy, especially for a college student, so having easy access to caffeine is a luxury beyond comparison. Blugold Roast, a local coffee brand created in 2016 by entrepreneurial students, has planted its roots in the heart of Eau Claire’s campus – which makes getting an early morning fix that much easier.
Blugold Roast, currently overseen by Sarah Tweedale and Jessica Moen, has made its mark on the coffee lovers of Eau Claire. It offers four different roast of coffee, including caffeinated and decaf, both hot coffee and on a couple days of the semester, cold brew. Provided by Roastery 7, a sustainable company based out of Minneapolis, there is something for any coffee enthusiast to indulge in.
Since this business venture started back in 2016, there have been some updates and improvements. In 2023, Blugold Roast obtained pop-up stands in the Campus Mall and created a partnership with the McIntyre Library, giving them a physical presence on campus to host and build community.
We feel connected to the people who come to the coffee stand and enjoy chatting with everyone and spreading good vibes.
There have been some challenges for the company: Most recently they ran into some licensing requirement speed bumps. “It was a disruption to our business, but with research and hard work to get us quickly back into compliance, we made adjustments to what we provide at our coffee stand,” Tweedale and Moen said.
Having 50% of their tip jar donated to the Campus Harvest Pantry, sponsoring different events to help raise funds for scholarships, and even giving free coffee to local departments and organizations for events, Blugold Roast is dedicated to giving back to their community.
“We love having ‘regulars’: roommates who come down the hill together to start their day with coffee before heading off to class or work, colleagues who schedule a coffee break to walk to the library and chat while they’re getting their coffee, or friends who use the coffee stand as their meet-up spot,” Tweedale and Moen said. “Our team might not know everyone’s name, but we feel connected to the people who come to the coffee stand and enjoy chatting with everyone and spreading good vibes.”
Learn more at blugoldroast.com or search for @BlugoldRoast on Facebook and Instagram.