Berkeley Student Food Collective

Tired of munching on the same old snacks? Looking for something healthy but on a tight budget? Well, head over to the Berkeley Student Food Collective! With Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s quite a walk away, the Student Food Collective offers a variety of healthy snacks and produce items with student-budget-friendly prices right next to campus.

The Berkeley Student Food Collective was started in 2007 by students when Panda Express attempted to make its way to Lower Sproul. Students were upset that an unhealthy, unsustainable business that does not represent the interests of the community was going to be put on campus. They gathered signatures and held demonstrations against the idea and instead decided to begin a student group to work to open a grocery store. After receiving a grant, the students started the collective and brought affordable, sustainable, fresh, healthy food to the Berkeley community.

All the food at the collective is organic, natural, environmentally sustainable, and often local. As their website states, they are dedicated to “providing fresh, local, healthy, environmentally sustainable, and ethically produced food at affordable prices to the Berkeley campus and greater community. We seek to educate students about nutrition and food systems, empower new leaders, and train youth to work in and manage a sustainable business. Through inclusive, democratic decision-making, we operate a cooperative grocery market that promotes community-building and environmental stewardship.” It is collectively owned and is a nonprofit. All members who work there are volunteers (aside from a few interns and the operations manager), and instead of getting paid they get a 10% discount on their groceries! All the food is vegetarian, but is certainly non-vegetarian friendly as well. They even deliver boxes of fresh produce, weekly, for just $15!

They have a variety of products, including daily fresh produce, delicious and locally made granola, ready-made sandwiches and salads, mouthwatering I-can’t-believe-it’s-vegan treats, pastas, and smoothies. There is a variety of dried fruit (with no added sugar), nuts, chocolate, coffee beans, chia chunks (a must try!), and more. The collective also has fresh vegan pastries that are made at the store. These range from the Vegan Strawberry-Filled Chocolate Cookie Sandwiches to Coconut Date Rolls.

Additionally, the store supports local businesses by selling some locally made natural beauty products, which include lotions, deodorants, and soaps.

The food is cheaper than you would be able to get elsewhere because the collective is not trying to make profit. Any profit made goes toward education. Students have started a petition in the interest of bringing an even larger student food collective to Lower Sproul to offer students local, organic, and seasonal produce right on campus. A wonderful volunteer from the collective, Amrita Ayer, says that the food from the collective “makes you feel good but also tastes good. It’s just a really cool place.” Grab your reusable bags and head on over to 2440 Bancroft Way. It is definitely worth a trip!

P.S. The volunteers are great with giving tips and advice on how to cook your produce or make a tasty meal!