The UCLA Student Association’s newest addition of dachi products is diversifying the available snack and beverage options on campus with a variety of Asian snack selections. The dachi nook is located in Ackerman Union with offerings representative of more than five Asian nationalities.

Dachi — short for friend in Japanese — is an Asian-inspired treat and beverage company founded in 2022 by UCLA Anderson School of Management alumni Kelsey Kawana, Eric Luo and Anne Marie Bessacini.  

“The heart of dachi has always been at UCLA where the company first came together,” co-founder and CEO Kawana said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Associated Students of UCLA for the grand opening of our very first storefront, and we are excited to make Asian snacks and beverages more accessible to UCLA’s diverse student body.”

The inspiration behind the former students’ snack and beverage nook is to broaden student exposure to other cultures and foster a sense of belonging for the Asian American Pacific Islander populations through Japanese classics of Pocky and Ito En Tea, Korean Chapaghetti instant noodles, and dachi-original offerings like Tomo’s Golden Almond Cookie.

Dachi

Dachi nook (Courtesy UCLA)

This installation is the first collaboration with dachi. The UCLA alumni founded-company installed its first offering on the UCLA campus near the Anderson School of Management in 2022 as a part of the Venture Accelerator at UCLA Anderson — a six-month program that utilizes UCLA resources to help startup founders launch their businesses.”

The spirit of the dachi brand is represented by its  round mascot, a Japanese red racoon named Tomo, who, according to the dachi website, “adores the simple pleasures of life: eating, napping and being with friends.” To date, dachi has served over 4,500 customers and offered over 60 unique Asian snacks and beverages.

The dachi nook is open in Ackerman Union between 8 a.m. – 11 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.- 9 p.m. on Saturday; and 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Sunday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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