A new on-campus cafe will officially be open for business this month as part of the College’s major development programme. With a focus on food and drink from sustainable producers, The Grub, has been lovingly restored to a bright, vibrant meeting space for staff and pupils. It will open on Tuesday 16th April.
As well as fresh coffee and tea, sweet and savoury treats and light bites, the cafe will offer a menu of cooked-to order, globally inspired brunch and lunch options including bacon naans, chicken shawarma and avocado toast topped with chilli flakes. The menu will also include a refreshed selection of Malvern’s paninis, which have gained such popularity amongst pupils that between 80 and 100 toasted sandwiches are served each morning break time.
Formerly the home of the school’s 120-year-old traditional tuck shop, in The Grub’s lifetime it has been used as a pupil common room, a dining room, uniform shop, and even a COVID-19 test centre during the pandemic. The cafe will maintain some of this history, functioning as a tuck shop during morning break serving light snacks and grab-and-go options.
Continuing the College’s ambitious plans to make the campus carbon neutral by 2050, the menu includes a selection of products sourced from sustainable food and drink producers including Worcestershire and Birmingham based coffee roastery Coffee Masters. With a head office in Droitwich Spa, as well as supplying their triple certified organic blend coffee beans ethically sourced from Honduras, Ethiopia and Sumatra, the Great Taste award winners will also provide barista training and maintenance of coffee machine equipment. There are also plans to expand the drinks menu to include bubble tea and a range of smoothies, supplied by Coffee Masters. Similarly, the menu will include a range of ethically produced juices and iced teas supplied by German brand Lemonaid. The Fairtrade juices, made with real fruit juice and 40% less sugar are bottled in fully recyclable bottles, with 5% of each sale donated to charity.The cafe will also make use of sustainable serveware where possible including compostable cups and straws as well as encouraging the use of reusable cups across the Malvern College community.
Headmaster Keith Metcalfe said: “Reopening this much-loved, restored on-site cafe is very excitingfor our pupils and our staff. We pride ourselves on providing the best learning environment,and this will not only enhance that but also offer a unique food and drink offering that is not only sustainable but provides a space to socialise, to meet and to work collaboratively.
“We have committed to making our school more environmentally friendly and as such, we have put a focus on working with suppliers who share our commitment to sustainability as well as ensuring that the day-to-day operation of the cafe has as little environmental impact as possible through the use of sustainable cups.
“I’m delighted that this facility is situated in a building that is so full of character and heritage, with its beautiful period features serving as a stunning backdrop for what we hope will be a real hub for the whole Malvern College community.”
The cafe will be open during term time only, from 9:30am – 2pm and again between 3pm – 4:30pm Monday to Friday and between 9:30am and 2pm Saturday and Sunday. Outside of these hours, there will be hot/cold drink and snack vending provision.