While the popcorn starts popping and the coffee begins pouring again on other Puget Sound ferries, Whidbey Island commuters might continue to go hungry for awhile.

Washington State Ferries announced Monday that two Washington companies will take over as on-board food concessionaires, offering locally produced foods, beer, and wine aboard ferry boats.

But despite the winter-long search, the ferry system concluded that none of the proposals received for the Clinton/

Mukilteo and Keystone/

Port Townsend ferries were viable.

Two weeks ago, in a public meeting in Freeland, ferry officials told Whidbey Island ferry riders that they were encouraged by the progress of negotiations with possible food vendors. But since that time, their hopes have gone south.

That doesn’t mean they can’t be transformed into something workable, said Brian Volkert, manager of business development for the ferry system.

“We’re not walking away from Whidbey Island,” he said.

Two proposals were received for the Clinton run, he said, and either one can be improved in ways that make sense for the short duration of that ferry ride. If the proposers, CDX of Mukilteo or Summit Vending of Everett, want to go forward, the ferry system is still willing to work with them. Likewise, a proposal for the Port Townsend run could still be considered with some revisions, he said.

Any vendor providing food for the 15-minute Mukilteo/Clinton route has to be extremely flexible. The Issaquah Class ferries operating that route are often switched with other ferries on other routes, which means the food vendor also has to be able to switch ferries quickly.

The Vashon Island triangle run will be a good test case for the Whidbey Island routes, Volkert said. Sound Food Cafe, Bakery and Wine Bar of Vashon Island plans to provide a menu of fresh-made foods, including organic foods and juices, for the ferry serving the company’s home island. But, they don’t plan to prepare anything on board, other than popcorn and coffee. Most food will be prepared on land and transported to the ferries.

The other ferries will be served by Cascade Concessions of Vancouver, Wash. That company plans to highlight local foods for the various routes, including beverages from Northwest wineries and breweries.

It’s still no guarantee that either company will start food service soon. Resumption of food service is dependent on each company successfully negotiating labor agreements with the Inland Boatman’s Union (IBU).

Volkert said he’s hopeful that by the time food is ready to be served on other ferry routes, a vendor will have been chosen for Whidbey Island.