Taking advantage of the University of California’s independence from the City of Berkeley and looking to enhance business opportunity for students, a group of enterprising Bears has opened a drive-through beverage distribution center. Students Offering Discounted Aperitifs or (SODA) indicated the operation addressed a number of needs. “First, everyone is looking to save a buck, so come to Cal and get your 2-liter soda tax free” noted Dr. Pepper who views the enterprise as a means of paying down loans from his post-doctoral studies. Pepper added, “distributing out of underutilized campus parking garages enables contact free purchase opportunities for our Berkeley neighbors.” Residents simply place an order through the SODA app (developed at Soda Hall by students in the Computer Science Division) and then zip through the garage. “We load it and you are on your way.” A W Beer recently used the service and expressed gratitude for the students’ entrepreneurship, “Look any time we can save a nickel these days I am all in; I just drove up in my Tesla and the students filled it with our favorite pop.” Berkeley’s Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Product Panel of Experts suggested the operation violates the spirit of the ordinance.
