Beans and Leaves, Peddie’s student-run sip stop in the Grille, has been active ever since last year, regularly selling varied flavors of matcha. In fact, it has been more popular than ever over the past few weeks, having added hojicha and more flavorings of matcha like osmanthus, strawberry and gingerbread. Besides selling the original matcha, the addition of these new drinks has led to almost 1,000 drinks that have been sold by Beans and Leaves so far. However, Beans and Leaves brought an even more exciting news during the Community Meeting on January 7, announcing a new espresso machine they are installing in the Grille. 

“Thanks to all your support and enthusiasm, we were able to bring in this beautiful, fully automatic espresso machine,” Coco Zhou ’26, leader of Peddie Beans and Leaves, stated during her presentation. Zhou said that the machine comes with plenty of options, including regular Americanos and espressos, and milk-based options like lattes as well. Plus, syrups will be available next to the machine so that anyone can sweeten their drinks as needed. 

For now, the espresso machine will only be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., in line with Peddie’s late-start schedule. Zhou mentioned that if the first few weeks go successfully, Beans and Leaves are willing to open the machine more frequently. However, this would require full adherence to the guidelines set, so that everyone can enjoy the fresh new drinks safely and sustainably. 

“First of all, please bring your own tumbler and mug because we’re partnering with PEST in order to reduce waste coming from single-use cups. If your cup doesn’t fit the machine, just use the yellow serving cup provided and pour your drink into your own container,” Zhou stated. PEST has launched a sustainability project that actively rewards reusable cup usage, and Beans and Leaves is also partnering with this initiative. 

There are also guidelines to ensure the machine operates smoothly without malfunctions. For example, although the machine can offer iced drinks on its menu, students should only press the options for hot drinks, as ice supplies are not available currently. Furthermore, Zhou emphasized the importance of adhering to rules such as not adjusting the presets and cancelling the automatic cleaning prompt that will pop up every time someone gets a new drink. Lastly, students should also keep in mind that sometimes the automatic rinsing system will have the machine filled with water, and that students can simply dump it out whenever it happens. 

“This machine is something really special for Beans and Leaves, and I hope you all can help take care of this so that we can keep it available to more people,” Zhou said as she finished her presentation. “Thank you so much for all your support this year. Keep stopping by, and enjoy your drinks!”