Looking for the perfect holiday gift this year? These options from the University of Guelph make excellent presents at any time. 

For your sweetheart 

U of G honey is harvested on campus and available for purchase at the U of G Bookstore. This delicious treat from the Honey Bee Research Centre is available in jars or squeeze bottles. 

For coffee lovers 

Start your morning with a signature Fair-Trade certified coffee blend that directly supports U of G students. The new Gryphon ’64 Coffee blend is a dark roast made in partnership with Baden Coffee Co. and funds the #SupportGryphons campaign for the Guelph Student Foodbank.  Gryphon Blend from Planet Bean is grown by indigenous women in Peru and Sumatra and supports Gryphon women’s athletics scholarships.  

For soccer fans 

Planet Bean sells Fair Trade certified soccer balls made by VOLO Athletics with the Guelph Gryphon athletics logo – a perfect gift for soccer players and World Cup fans. 

For ice cream lovers 

Have a sweet tooth? Pick up a pint of Lotsa Local Love, a new ice cream developed at U of G’s Guelph Food Innovation Centre, with proceeds from sales going to the University’s United Way campaign. With crunchy bits of snickerdoodle and ginger molasses cookies swirled into a creamy honey-spice base, you won’t want to miss out. 

For on-campus folks 

U of G gift cards are available in $10, $25, $50 and $100 denominations.  A variety of off-campus restaurant partners also accept U of G gift cards.   

University gift cards can be purchased at Chef’s Hall in the UC or at the University Bookstore, in-person or online. 

For snackers 

Looking for a tasty morning treat over the holidays or something to tide you over during the afternoon slump? Domenique Mastronardi, a U of G student and part of the Hub Incubator program is the creator of The Happy Era waffle delivery business, offering a variety of delicious, healthy waffle options guaranteed to satisfy your taste buds. 

For hot sauce aficionados  

Kick it up a notch with Cannonfire hot sauce and Hot Tropic hot sauce made by Food Science students. These blends feature chili peppers grown from seed at the University of Guelph’s Bovey Teaching Greenhouse on campus.  

Students were involved in the sauce recipe creation, label design and manufacturing. Every pepper was hand-picked and chopped by students and processed and bottled at the University of Guelph. 

For learners and nature enthusiasts  

From calendars to t-shirts, hats, biodiversity sheets, booklets, window decals, buttons, lanyards, bamboo mechanical pencils and more, the Arboretum has fantastic gift options. Items can be picked up in-person at The Arboretum during business hours or shipped. 

Additionally, be sure to check out Arboretum workshops about birds, trees, stars, gardening, international biodiversity hotspots and more! 

U of G’s Fair Trade commitment

To Improve Life on campus and beyond, U of G offers certified Fair Trade items. 

Fair Trade changes the way trade works by providing better prices, working conditions, and control to producers, farmers and workers in developing countries. This approach helps drive positive change and outcomes in the world through greater equity in international trade. 

In 2012, U of G became Ontario’s first fair trade campus and the third designated Fair Trade campus in Canada. A decade later, our commitment is stronger than ever. 

As the holiday season approaches, keep a lookout around campus for the Fair Trade symbol on products such as chocolate bars, coffee, cookies, honey, and U of G’s famous chocolate chip banana bread. 

What did we miss? Share other cool U of G gift ideas with campusnews@uoguelph.ca.