Students at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks lost their Jamba Juice but gained cheaper smoothies.

The university's food service contractor, Sodexo, opened a grab-and-go kiosk called The Nook on Aug. 31, occupying the former Jamba location in the center of campus. Every regular-size smoothie and all five tea drinks cost $7.50 or less, fitting within the value of one university meal swipe, The Echo student newspaper reported.

Under the Jamba franchise, Sodexo could not set prices. Most beverages exceeded the $7.50 meal swipe value, leaving students to pay out of pocket or choose from a handful of "Meal Swipe Specials."

"We didn't have control of the cost [under Jamba]. So when we have a brand on campus, we have to use their pricing," Sodexo General Manager Elizabeth Nepute told The Echo. "If we switch to a Sodexo brand, then we control the pricing."

Nepute said the decision grew out of fall and spring student surveys. Plans for the switch were announced in April, and the rebrand was carried out over the summer.

Ariana Latifi, Sodexo's operations manager for retail, developed The Nook's menu and trained employees. Food items include bagels, waffles and soft pretzels priced at $2.99 or $3.99. Latifi said additional items are planned, including a blueberry cream matcha, coffee jelly and a seasonal cinnamon maple cream cheese. No dates were given.

Most Nook employees previously worked at the Jamba location. Isabella Ramirez, one of those returning workers, said students are more engaged because of the wider variety of options.

Student reaction has been mixed. On Fizz, an anonymous campus social media platform, students questioned the boba pearls, called the smoothies bland and compared the food to hospital fare. In an informal Fizz poll of 352 responses, 74% said they preferred Starbucks over The Nook.

Chloe Smith, a junior forward on the Cal Lutheran Regals soccer team, said she and teammates ordered the same smoothie through the Grubhub app. Service was quick, she said, but they didn't love the drink.

First-time customer Dante Arguelles had a different experience. He said he enjoyed his drink and noticed staff had written a personal message on his cup.

For now, customers can order only through the Grubhub app. Latifi said registers will be installed to allow in-person orders, though no timeline has been set.