The Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) is 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.

The BSFC offers:

• Packaged goods
• Bulk foods
• Fresh produce
• Refrigerated items
• Fresh coffee and pastries
• Natural cleaning, health, and beauty products
• Information about food sustainability

The BSFC is an education non-profit and teaches a class at UCB called “Berkeley in the Global Food System.” The BSFC prioritizes locally-produced and grown foods, particularly those that are humane, fair trade, organic, and/or made in a home kitchen. Currently, the collective has over 170 volunteers and five paid interns funded by UCB's The Green Initiative Fund.

The volunteers run fourteen different committees: communications, events, food events, finance, fundraising, food prep, human resources, strategic planning, membership, technology, outreach, publicity, operations, product, and produce. Currently, the collective sells produce to students every Monday on Sproul Plaza through “The Local” tabling project. While the collective has traditionally targeted UCB students as its primary audience, it is also open to all members of the public.

Approving the establishment of a second BSFC location in the new Lower Sproul would provide students with more healthy, locally-sourced, and environmentally sustainable food options. The Lower Sproul location would offer a convenient, on-campus location for students, faculty, and staff. Also, the Lower Sproul location would allow for increased volunteer opportunities for UC Berkeley students passionate about food sustainability and the environment.

Expanding the BSFC's presence onto the UC Berkeley campus would represent and support UC Berkeley's commitment to sustainability and environmental awareness. Providing students, faculty, and staff with more healthy options is of the utmost importance for the health and well-being of our campus, and it is for these reasons that we urge you to accept our proposal for the BSFC in Lower Sproul.