In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are searching for ways to help out; whether that be by donating to frontline healthcare workers or ordering takeout from local restaurants. A small group of business students in Waterloo, Ontario decided to make their own contribution to those struggling during this time, by putting their talents to work to support local businesses.
“I was hearing a lot about the impacts of COVID on all areas of life and trying to think of what I could do”, said founder, Tyler De Sousa. “Being a business student, I knew my experiences would be best used in helping on the economic side of things. So we really started WaterLoot to help local small businesses that we loved.”
Tyler De Sousa founded Waterloot Box in April along with his fellow colleagues from Wilfred Laurier University, to help small local businesses from across the Waterloo Region stay afloat in a time when many of them have had to shut their doors due to social distancing measures and stay-at-home orders.
Their mystery box retails for $49.99 and contains an assortment of carefully selected items from local shops around KW designed to let you explore the region from the comfort of your own home.
I purchased Waterloot’s very first box last week and I wanted to share what was inside with all of you. I know sometimes it can be difficult to justify spending money on something that you’re not entirely sure that you’ll like, especially in a pandemic when many of us are struggling financially.
While every box is likely to be a little bit different as Waterloot partners with different small businesses for each, this is a sneak peek of the kinds of items you can expect if you decide to purchase one of Waterloot’s future locally sourced mystery boxes.
For their very first box, Waterloot partnered with the following local businesses:
This box was jam-packed with goodies from local bakeries, beauty companies, and book stores!
First of all, the bread. Y’all. I never buy bread because it is my weakness and I have a tendency to devour it very quickly. That’s pretty much what happened with both the delicious fresh French loaf and egg buns from Nougat Bakery. The bread was so fresh when I picked up the box that I devoured half the loaf in a day, using it for charcuterie boards and avocado toast.
My next favourite item in the box has to be the delicious maple shortbread cookies from Dana Shortt Gourmet. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about these, but one bite in and I knew I was in love. These cookies are delicious and not overly sweet, so I can eat one or two without feeling gross afterward. You also get a lot of cookies in the sleeve that came in the Waterloot Box, which I really appreciate – definitely a good bang for your buck!
I also really loved that this Waterloot Box included a novel from a local bookstore. I am a total bookworm and now more than ever, while we’re all stuck in quarantine, I’m looking for new books to enjoy.
The next item in the box was a wonderful lavender-scented soap boar from Truth Beauty Company. I haven’t given this a try just yet, mostly because I’ve been too busy smelling it, but I really enjoyed that this box incorporated both food items that I’ll surely be done with in a week’s time and these items like soaps and books, which will last.
Next up is a $10 gift card to Taco Farm. I thought this was a really great way to support a new local restaurant during these times. Obviously, trying to include tacos in the box would’ve been a difficult challenge, so I appreciated the gift card. I know that once we’re all allowed outside again I will be hitting the town and every restaurant in it! Now I have an excuse to visit Waterloo and try out a new one!
The final item in the box is this wonderful tote bag from the Community Company. The artwork on the bag is actually designed by folks in the community who are fighting homelessness. While the tote in itself is a wonderful high-quality product that I’ll be turning to for grocery shopping, the story behind it makes it that much more powerful and I think speaks to the social impact of Waterloot Box.
Waterloot Box founder, Tyler, is hoping that their boxes catalyze a fundamental shift in people’s purchasing habits and get them thinking about buying local more often. “I hope they sell out of course, it’d be tough for me to eat 30 packs of cookies. But I also know that it’s not accessible to everyone, so I hope it inspires people to shop local more often and think more about the things they buy.”
Waterloot Box is KW-region's newest local box that will have you falling in love with buying local. Share on X
As you can see, I’m already making great use of the items inside my Waterloot Box!
To say that I was pleased with my Waterloot Box would be an understatement. I am really impressed by how high-quality the items in the box are and the diversity of products inside. I loved that it wasn’t strictly food items, but included other products that gave me a chance to enjoy the KW-region beyond its foodie scene. I don’t know what the actual value of this Waterloot Box is, but if I had to guess, I would say it’s closer to $75-$80 – so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth! $49.99 to try all of these great products and support local businesses is well worth it in my opinion.
While Waterloot Box was started to help small businesses through this turbulent period, Tyler hopes the company will continue on afterward to continue to encourage KW residents to support local.
“Right now we just want to focus on helping as many businesses as possible through COVID but I definitely want it to continue. We’ve already started talking about different themed boxes and different partners we could reach. I also think Waterloo has a really great community vibe. I could see Waterloot Box becoming a local staple that people buy when they first move here or something people send to their family members who moved out of the region to remind them of home.”
You can order Waterloot Box’s second mystery box HERE!
If you’re a local business in the Waterloo region that’s interested in getting involved in a future Waterloot Box, you can get in touch with Waterloot Box HERE.
Disclaimer: Waterloot Box was founded by my brother Tyler. I did purchase my box with my own money and receive no commission or compensation from any referrals.
