Eat, pray, Woodstock on campus

Although most UMW students did not get to experience the Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969, many were able to participate in the latest project by the founders of Woodstock, a new health food brand.

The new brand is a partnership between Woodstock Ventures and Soedexo, the company that runs UMW Dining Services and is still in the planning stages, according to Rose Benedict, the UMW Dining Retail Manager.

The yet untitled brand has the theme of “back to mother earth” according to Benedict and is planned to be ‘earth friendly.’

“[I’m] really excited to be a part of this and show new fresh ingredients. All of the breads for the line will be made in-house,” said Jeff McClure, a Sodexo National Chef.

“Right now we’re in the process of sampling and tasting products” said UMW Dining General Manager, Kori Dean. “Depending on feedback we may introduce these products into The Underground next semester.”

The founders of Woodstock picked UMW to launch the brand because when they visited The Underground brought back memories.

It reminded them of a “Greenwich Village, [New York] club popular during Woodstock,” according to Lyndsay Geyer, Marketing Manager of UMW Dining.

On Friday April 8, samples of some of the possible dishes that will be included in the brand were served at The Underground during lunch.

The samples in The Underground last week were met with positive reviews from many students present.

“[I] really liked [the] chicken couscous salad. It was an interesting combination, [I was] impressed. [It was] not like anything else here,” said junior Samantha Miller.

In addition to the chicken couscous salad, there was grilled cheese, a Monte Cristo sandwich, a peanut butter, banana and chocolate chip sandwich, roasted tomato soup, a berry juice, iced black tea and mint tea with mango.

There are also plans to start selling new potential “Back to Mother Earth” menu items in The Underground every day for the remainder of the semester.

“All the feedback [about the food tested] will help [the founders of Woodstock] develop the retail brand,” according to Geyer.

Though nothing is really known about what exactly will come of the Woodstock brand and whether or not any items will actually be incorporated into the Underground’s menu.

If the brand is started at UMW it will be personalized to students tastes on campus.

“[I] liked the idea overall about changing the face of things [in The Underground.] Bringing in teas would be beneficial,” said sophomore Sean Smith.