In the coming months, Associated Students UCLA is focusing on increasing its selection of food choices and continuing its commitment to sustainability.
Bob Williams, the executive director of ASUCLA, said the association is using its revenues to reflect the needs of the students.
The association’s food service master plan, which has seen the implementation of new food operations such as Jamba Juice, the Greenhouse and the expanded Taco Bell, recently added the Bruin Buzz café on the A-level of Ackerman Union.
“Bruin Buzz has a sleek, modern design and offers a complete array of coffees, espresso drinks, pastries, and Organic to Go products,” Williams said.
Cindy Bolton, the director of ASUCLA restaurants, said the reception at Bruin Buzz has been positive, and business is steadily growing.
One area of the food service master plan, the remodel of the Cooperage, is still not entirely complete and has fallen several months behind schedule.
ASUCLA sources did not comment to the specifics of why the remodel has taken longer than expected, but Williams said the Cooperage has nonetheless installed most of its new features.
“We just installed a state-of-the-art 140-inch video wall, and once the pool tables and student event programming are added in, the Cooperage dining room will be a hub of activity,” Williams said.
Roy Champawat, the student union director, said the video wall has attracted large crowds for political events such as the presidential debates as well as UCLA football and Major League Baseball.
Champawat added that the Cooperage will feature a pay-by-the-hour gaming center with 10 PC game stations, eight Xbox 360s, a PlayStation 3 and a Nintendo Wii. He said he was not certain when the gaming center would be complete.
The Cooperage also has new lighting, paint, carpeting and tile to reflect a more appealing dining space, Bolton said.
The corridor leading to the Cooperage has been named “Avenue A,” and Bolton said a new eatery called “Curbside off Avenue A” will open either this quarter or early winter quarter.
“Curbside off Avenue A will have fresh organic sandwiches and salads, kosher items, fresh breads and healthy snacks and beverages,” Bolton said.
Northern Lights is also changing up its menu, as it will offer swirl frozen yogurt in both traditional and tart flavors starting in the winter, Bolton said.
The final addition to the Cooperage will be the implementation of a Carl’s Jr. as Ackerman Union’s burger operation.
“We’ve been moving forward with design, and I expect Carl’s Jr. to begin its construction within a week and open for business sometime in January or February,” she said.
Downstairs at the UCLA Store, the prevailing concept is sustainability and green products.
Patrick Healey, the director of general merchandise for the UCLA store, said his operation is undergoing a “Target Zero Waste” program.
“Target Zero Waste minimizes our impact to the environment,” Healey said.
Healey added that the components of Target Zero Waste are making UCLA store shopping bags 100 percent post-industrial recycled material, adding earth-friendly products, introducing the UCLA recyclable shopping bag and recycling mail packages.
ASUCLA also just opened the Think Green shop next to the marketplace, a concept that sells products such as green dish soap, recycled paper and organic clothing, Williams said.
Healey added that besides the Think Green shop, the marketplace itself has added organic foods and organic beauty lines such as Tom’s of Maine and Kiss My Face.