Sunday, November 16, 2014

SweetStreet


            Sweetwater Donut and Water Street Coffee Twist made its debut as K College’s signature frozen yogurt flavor last Thursday. CEO and Founder, Pete Palazzolo, and Head of Accounts, Dave Seidel, set up in the caf during lunch to reveal the new flavor.
                  As a staff member working to promote efforts of sustainability in Dining Services, I was involved in the process of developing the flavor. We felt it was important to make it unique to Kalamazoo while supporting local businesses.
                  Pete took the time to visit with students at their tables, giving advice as a successful and proud entrepreneur. “It’s not as bad out there as you think,” he assured us. “I mean, it was bad when I first started and I still made it.”
                  Students lined up to sample the new flavors and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. “Oh my god, it tastes like a donut!” I heard over and over, stunned expression after a first spoonful. “How do they do that?!”
                  Well, with donuts. Palazzolo’s blended Sweetwater’s glazed and Boston Crème donuts and steeped them in the cream as the base for the yogurt. This is essentially the process for making any of their over 200 flavors; steep the ingredient in the crème and then strain it out. 
Sweetwater’s has a stellar reputation on campus and the academic lifestyle often requires a caffeine boost. The combination made sense. Plus, coffee and donuts? It’s classic.
                   As for putting a name on our twist, take out the redundant ‘water’ and you end up with SweetStreet. We could feature the charming brick of Academy Street on the label…
Thoughts?



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