Aramark opened a coffee shop at the University of Minnesota that employs three disadvantaged local teens, partnering them with university students and an adult manager to give them real-world job experience, reports the Minneapolis Bridgeland News. CityKid Java, which opened in January in UM’s Carslon School of Management, as a partnership between Aramark and Urban Ventures, a Minneapolis nonprofit that markets CityKid Java coffee to help fund its fund youth programs.
Aramark has previously sold CityKid coffee at its locations, but the café at UM represents an extension of the partnership that not only helps the teen workers but gives business-student managers experience at mentoring. For its part, CityKid Java offers a variety of grab-and-go selections like fresh prepared salads, sandwiches, soups, yogurt parfaits, fruit cups, veggies & dip, cookies, dessert bars in addition to its core coffee and espresso drink specialties.