TOMS RIVER – Local restaurant chain Bubbakoo’s Burritos – owned by an OCC alumni – opened a branch on the Ocean County College campus.
“We’re so excited to continue to cement our Jersey Shore roots by serving the students and faculty at OCC. This school has done a lot for me personally and I couldn’t be happier to give back,” said Paul Altero, co-founder and CEO of Bubbakoo’s.
The school will host the restaurant as well its sister company, Toss’em Wing Factory, and Koo’s Coffee Co, which serves Starbucks products and grab ‘n’ go items.
Altero had earned his Associate’s in Business Administration in 1993 before going on to the University of Delaware for a bachelor’s degree program in hotel, restaurant, and institutional management.
“It was 100 percent the right choice,” Altero said of his decision to attend OCC. “How could it not be a great choice? It’s affordable, and you get a quality education. … Community college is an awesome option.”
And perhaps quick serve meals to price-conscious students was also the right choice.
Bubbakoo’s is working with OCC to add lower-priced menu options to address student food insecurity. The company has also committed to partner with the School of Business and Social Science, which includes a Hospitality program, to offer students opportunities to work within the organization.
Altero and Bill Hart opened the first Bubbakoo’s Burritos in Point Pleasant in 2008. They offered customers to build what they want and everything is made to order. The company has since grown to 55 locations in nine states, with more than 100 on the way.
