PSU signs $1M contract with Coca-Cola

  Monday, July 31, 2017 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

The agreement grants Coca-Cola campus-wide “pouring rights,” including fountain dispensers in retail settings, campus vending machines and distribution at all athletic events.

In total, Coca-Cola’s contract will result in the university annually receiving more than $100,000 in income over the length of the agreement.

“In today’s budget climate, maximizing our return on contracts is essential,” said Doug Ball, PSU’s chief financial officer. “The new agreement will provide the university with a larger amount of annual income and provide opportunities for additional scholarship revenue, all while maintaining quality service for our campus community.”

The new agreement will mean a switch for the university, which had previously partnered with Pepsi.

“We knew this would be a difficult decision,” Ball said. “It’s why we put such a detailed bidding process into place. We’ve enjoyed our relationship with Pepsi and sincerely thank them for their partnership throughout the years.”

The university took nearly three months to entertain and review bids from both Coca-Cola and Pepsi. The process included on-campus presentations and a detailed review by a campus committee.

“We actively sought out proposals,” said Jim Hughes, PSU’s director of purchasing. “We know how competitive the market can be, and we wanted to make certain we gave vendors ample time to prepare. We were pleased with the presentations and level of detail provided by both vendors.”

As part of the new agreement, Coca-Cola will install 35 new vending machines on campus. The machines will be located in nearly every building and accept credit/debit cards, a popular option for today’s students.

“Coca-Cola has a strong reputation for customer service,” said Jeff Steinmiller, director of PSU’s Overman Student Center. “It’s one of the factors we carefully considered before moving forward. We’re working with our vendors to ensure a smooth transition over the coming weeks.”

The new contract will run through 2027.