Yu-Jin was on her way to class and desperately needs a cup of coffee. Unfortunately for Yu-Jin, the coffee sold in the cafes near her class is way too expensive."Forty-eight hundred won for one cup of cafe latte!" she cringes."I could eat lunch And dinner with that money! Can't I have a coffee at a reasonable price in this campus?

There's good news for coffee-lovers like Yu-Jin. On March 16, SNU Co-Op (SNUCO), which runs most of the convenience stores and shops on campus, announced a plan to expand its cafe business to lower the campus coffee price.

SNUCO also said it has created a brand name for its cafes, 'Cafe Neuteenamu', which means 'Cafe Zelkova Tree' in English. LEE Kyu Seon, the manager of SNUCO FS Business Team, explained,"SNUCO chose 'Cafe Neuteenamu' as the brand name not only because the zelkova tree is one of the SNU mascots, but also for the reason that it symbolizes a place of serenity."

There will be three of these SNUCO managed cafes on campus. The first 'Cafe Neuteenamu' is the cafe in Dong Won Building (Building No.113). It was initially SNUCO managed since its opening in 2002 and recently changed its name to 'Cafe Neuteenamu', becoming part of the SNU brand launching.

The second 'Cafe Neuteenamu' recently opened at the College of Music (Building No.54), where cafe KAG used to be. Instead of renewing the contract with KAG, SNUCO decided to open a cafe that operates under its direct management. The third 'Cafe Neuteenamu' will open in April, once the renovation of the Ja Ha Yeon Cafeteria is completed.

The strongest merit of 'Cafe Neuteenamu' is that it sells its beverages at a reasonable price.

'Cafe Neuteenamu' offers Americano for only 1500 won while the other private cafes charge 3,000 to 4000 won for almost same taste coffee. Unfortunately on March 12, 'Cafe Neuteenamu' had to raise the price of its waffles, the most beloved snack of SNU students, due to budget constraints. The price of the waffle was raised from 600 won to 800 won, the price of the topping from 100 won to 200 won. However, the waffles of 'Cafe Neuteenamu' are still one of the most inexpensive snacks sold on campus.

KIM In Ok, the manager of SNUCO Business Management Team said,"Unlike expensive cafes owned by private enterprises like Java City and Twosome Place, SNUCO will provide drinks at low prices and strive to create a relaxing atmosphere."

SNUCO also said that it will guarantee a consistent service of high quality coffee by hiring professional baristas to train the staff and by coordinating the menu, the interior design and the management system. LEE Kyu Seon, the manager of SNUCO FS Business Team, said, “Previously, the cafes at SNU were usually staffed with inexperienced part-time employees, so the taste and the quality of the coffee varied from time to time."

LEE encouraged students to frequently visit 'Cafe Neuteenamu' and said,"If SNUCO earns a lot of profit from managing the cafes, it will be able to invest the additional revenue in the university cafeterias, making it easier to maintain the low meal-ticket prices." He added,"In the case there's a demand for more of SNUCO's cafes and that in the long-run SNUCO amasses brand power, SNUCO will gradually turn expensive cafes on campus into SNUCO-managed cafes."

Now Yu-Jin can get her morning coffee without bending over backwards to make ends meet. If 'Cafe Neuteenamu' continues to garner approval from students like Yu-Jin, it's likely that we will be able to see more than three ‘Cafe Neuteenamu’s in the future.

Written by JANG Hyo Jeong, SNU English Editor, fatalbonds@snu.ac.kr  ?
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com