Milano Light Espresso, Gold & Passion Fruit tea, and Cinnamon Crème Brulee are a few of the enticing drinks served at the Talon, which serves Halo Brand coffee and tea.

Halo Brand coffee and tea started more than 16 years ago. However, it’s not just the delicious taste of the coffee and tea served in the Talon, Biola’s business building eatery, that attracts Halo’s customers. It is also the interesting background of this company, which has impacted lives in countries worldwide to “compete in U.S. markets.”

Halo also supports “Growers First,” a non-profit organization that supplies “resources, ideas and encouragement these farmers need to be viable coffee exporters,” and in addition, has established “Coffee with a Heart,” which offers churches and nonprofit organizations “a viable way to raise funds for special interests, selected causes, missions, ministries or churches.”

When the business building was searching for coffee services last April, they were able to meet with Halo representatives and even sample the Christian-based company’s coffee, explained Steve Rall, the general manager of Bon Appetit. After the Talon’s connection with Halo, Rall noted that “positive feedbacks” were received from the students at Biola. Rall is proud of the choice that was made in working with Halo.

“It meets a lot of demands and follows Biola’s mission statement,” he said. He also believes it is a “good outreach program.” Junior Layli Khudayberdieva, who had already heard of Halo Brand’s coffee, agreed with Rall.

“I think it’s amazing. I like that the whole idea isn’t around making money, but into serving the Lord. The environment and workers [at the Talon] are really nice and inviting,” she said. “[The coffee] is always fresh and hot. It refreshes you very well.” Freshman Rebecca Smith is impressed with the quality of the drinks.

“The coffee itself is good. It’s really delicious. There’s a more relaxed environment and it just makes the coffee taste better,” Smith said.

Smith always took pleasure in her orders, but she didn’t know the background of her coffee. After hearing about Halo Brand and what it does, she saw the coffee in a new light.

“It makes me want to go there all the way back from class to buy the coffee. And it also makes me want to get all of Biola to try it too,” Smith said.

Halo Brand continues to create programs to help support more organizations by allowing its customers to purchase and make donations to Mexican and Honduran farmers. Halo can be found at Halobrand.com, and it allows its customers to shop online for purchases such as chocolate and tea.