Cal Poly Grown: CAFES Student-Made Products
At the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, students grow, produce and sell a variety of food items, plants, wine, flowers and more, all available to the campus community and public. Some items are produced as part of hands-on lessons in college classes. Others are enterprise projects where students gain paid work experience at one of the college’s on-campus food and agricultural production units. Students are involved in every step, getting exposure to research and development standards and learning essential manufacturing practices, total quality assurance, food safety and sanitation principles, and leadership, sales and marketing skills — helping prepare them for the work they will do once they graduate. To purchase student-made products locally, you can visit the Cal Poly Mustang Shop on campus and downtown, the Campus Market, Cal Poly Meats, Poly Canyon Village Market and several local grocery stores, retailers and farmers’ markets. You can also order products online at the Cal Poly Mustang Shop.
Cal Poly BBQ Sauce
Since 2013, students in the Food Science and Nutrition Department have been mixing up two popular barbecue sauce flavors, Sweet Hickory and Fiery, from the pilot plant facility on campus. The sauces are available online through the Cal Poly Mustang Shop, the Campus Market, Poly Canyon Village Market and Cal Poly Meats and some local businesses such as Hotel SLO and SLO Ranch Market.
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Cal Poly Cheese
Students working at the Cal Poly Creamery produce seven varieties of gourmet cheeses including cheddar, Gouda, fromage blanc and the award-winning Triple Peak Brie, which won first place in the soft cheese category at the North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge’s “Best of Dairy Challenge” competition in 2023. Cal Poly cheeses and ice cream are available for purchase at the Campus Market and the Cal Poly Creamery drive-thru held each Friday from noon to 4 p.m. You can also purchase it online and at several retailers in San Luis Obispo such as California Fresh Market and Lassens.
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Cal Poly Chocolates
Since 2000, Food Science and Nutrition students have been learning about the science and art of chocolate making. Current and seasonal flavors include milk chocolate, dark chocolate, raspberry crisp, toffee crunch, green tea matcha and hot habanero. The chocolates are available online through the Cal Poly Mustang Shop, the Campus Market, Poly Canyon Village Market and Cal Poly Meats, as well as some local businesses such as Hotel SLO and SLO Ranch Market.
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Cal Poly Eggs
Cal Poly’s Poultry Unit provides students with hands-on experience in the commercial egg industry. The enterprise is funded by commercial sales, with eggs available for purchase from Cal Poly Meats and the Campus Market and at the Poultry Center on Mondays from 3 to 5 p.m.
Cal Poly Ice Cream
Students produce a variety of delicious ice cream flavors at the Cal Poly Creamery, including Dutch chocolate, vanilla bean, Mustang Mint, mud pie and strawberries and cream. Pints are available every Friday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Cal Poly Creamery drive-thru, and at the Campus Market and at several retailers in San Luis Obispo such as Lassens and California Fresh Market.
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Cal Poly Jam
Cal Poly Food Science and Nutrition students have been making jam for more than 40 years. What began as a food science lab exercise has grown to become a successful student-led commercial enterprise producing more than 15,000 jars annually. Flavors include olallieberry, raspberry, blackberry and strawberry. Purchase jams online at the Cal Poly Mustang Shop, on campus at the Campus Market, Poly Canyon Village Market and Cal Poly Meats.
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Cal Poly Meats
Students at Cal Poly Meats have been proudly serving the community since 1952. Students in beef, swine and poultry classes evaluate the meats and grade them according to U.S. Department of Agriculture standards, then cut, produce, package and sell them. Along with fresh beef, pork and chicken cuts, the campus market sells specialty meats such as bacon, sausage, jerky, hot dogs, brisket, tri-tip and ribs. Cal Poly Meats is open Thursdays and Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can also find their products at the Campus Market and Poly Canyon Village Market, as well as several local retailers.
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Cal Poly Organic Produce
The Cal Poly Organic Farm is an 11-acre production unit certified by the California Certified Organic Farmers where students learn sustainable farming and gardening practices. The farm produces dozens of varieties of produce that is sold directly to local farmers’ markets, such as the Downtown SLO Farmers’ Market on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. and the Saturday morning market in Madonna Plaza from 8 to 10:45 a.m. Seasonal U-pick crops are also available year-round.
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Poly Plant Shop
The Poly Plant Shop is a full-service nursery that sells landscape and interior plants, cut flowers and flower arrangements. The plant shop holds special sales events for plant and flower enterprise projects each year, including the spring Tomato Spectacular plant sale and the holiday poinsettia sale. The Poly Plant Shop is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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Cal Poly Wine
Cal Poly Wine is made by students and faculty in the state-of-the-art Cal Poly JUSTIN and J. LOHR Center for Wine and Viticulture. Grapes are grown at the 14-acre Trestle Vineyard on campus, enabling students to gain hands-on experience learning sustainable vineyard practices. Several varietals, including pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, Syrah, rosé, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are available and can be purchased online at Cal Poly Wine and at local retailers including California Fresh Market, Central Coast Wines and the Cal Poly Mustang Shop in downtown San Luis Obispo. Cal Poly Wine also offers three shipments of six wines each year as a member of the Wine Club.