BREMERTON, Wash. –
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility continues to bring more lunchtime food options into the shipyard’s Controlled Industrial Area.
PSNS & IMF welcomed Sauced, a food truck specializing in Filipino, Hawaiian and Mexican cuisine into the CIA for the first time, Oct. 4.
Sauced set up shop between Dry Dock 6 and Building 455. The truck will be selling food in between Dry Dock 6 and Building 455 every Wednesday and Friday moving forward.
“Everyone has been telling me this is a great place to be,” said Mathew Ritualo, owner. “I’m really looking forward to serving our service members and the people that serve them."
Ritualo, the son of a U.S. Marine, was born at Camp Pendleton, but grew up in the local area. His truck has also been operating at Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor and in Poulsbo. According to Ritualo, PSNS & IMF seemed like the next place to try and build a clientele.
“We are a family business with ties to the area, so I was interested as soon as I heard coming here was a possibility,” he explained. “It's always great to go somewhere you’ve never been before. I’m excited to be here.”
Sauced is just one of many initiatives that Para Kan, management and program analyst, Code 1101.2 Executive Support, has been working on to expand lunch options for members of Team Puget.
“Sauced is the first civilian food truck in the CIA,” he said. “We are working to give our workers options that are fast, high quality and fairly priced. We are looking for more vendors to provide our workers more options.”
In support of that goal, Sweet Dahlia, a bakery that operates out of Bainbridge, is looking to start operating in the CIA beginning in February. The vendor is tentatively set to be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. As opening nears, more information will be available on "News You Can Use."
While outside vendors will provide a more varied lunch experience, Kan and his partners have also worked to upgrade the barista stand near Building 448, to improve the experience there. This expansion will provide more cover from the elements, a new seating area and expanded storage.