Its native land

The sugar maple tree, red or silver, holds within it a treasure—maple sap, also known as maple water.
When the freezing temperatures of the Québec winter are followed fast by spring’s thaw, the precious
sap begins to run and it’s collected in Québec’s maple forests. 100% pure maple products
such as syrup, maple butter and maple sugar all come from this single ingredient.

Legend tells of a native North American observing an energetic squirrel drinking the water of a maple tree. 
Was this the actual discovery that led to maple products as we know them today? Historians have many
theories, but there is little spoken or written evidence to support any of them. One thing is certain:
the story of maple and its products is inextricably linked to the history of Québec.

1534

Discovery

Jacques Cartier becomes the first European to encounter the maple tree and its sap. A native North American tells him that the name for the sugar maple tree is, in his language, “couton.”

1608

“Nouvelle Cuisine”

By exchanging their culinary knowledge,
Europeans and First Nations eventually
created new ways to prepare food.
Maple water becomes
a restorative beverage.

1676

Maple Sugar

Using iron pots brought from France, Europeans and First Nations discover how to make maple sugar from the sap already in use by First Nations.

1700

Maple Candies

King Louis XIV craved sweets.
Agathe de Repentigny, a Montréal
businesswoman, sent him some made
of maple sugar. In 1701, she exported
30,000 pounds of maple sugar
to France!

1749

Bannock

First Nations and the famed Québec
coureurs des bois eat the staple food
of bannock, a type of bread made
of corn flour, bear fat and
maple sugar, to nourish them
on their long journeys.

1868

Sugar Shacks

The first sugar shacks are made of wood planks in the mid-19th Century. As of 1868, “sugar parties” are being organized. They remain an annual tradition in Québec culture.

1889

The Evaporator

The evaporator is patented in the USA, and applied to maple syrup production in Québec by the Small brothers. It gradually replaces the iron kettle, and increases quality and quantity.

1951

Canning

591 ml. cans of maple syrup make their appearance on supermarket shelves, bringing a major change: the consumption of maple sugar is replaced with that of maple syrup.

2005

Quebecol

Researchers identify the presence of
a molecule, Quebecol, in maple syrup
that is found nowhere else in nature.
Quebecol belongs to the polyphenol
family, molecules beneficial
to human health.

2013

NAPSI-certified
Maple Water

Québec maple water enters the market, with quality guaranteed by the new NAPSI certification.

2016

The International Standard for Maple

Today, maple products from Québec are
exported to more than 50 countries.
Québec provides 72%
of world production.

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Next

The history of maple products. From early use to present day.

Watch the videoLOCATE QUEBEC

From the forest

Maple products from Québec come from a single ingredient: the sap of maple trees.

The flow of sap is a natural phenomenon, unique to North America. It occurs each spring when daytime
and nighttime temperatures alternate above and below freezing. Québec maple producers collect the sap,
and take it to the sugar shack for evaporation and processing into maple products.
It’s a complex process that demands knowledge and precision.
 

THE SAP FLOWS
HARVEST AND EVAPORATION

Maple Syrup Production

Maple products

There are 100% pure Maple Products from Québec for everyone.

Increasingly popular as an ingredient, maple deserves to be explored in its surprising variety
of textures that lends itself to all sorts of combinations. The many Maple Products from Québec,
guaranteed for quality and authenticity, are available all year round in a wide variety of formats. 

MAPLE SYRUP See Voir MAPLE SUGAR See Voir HARD MAPLE SUGAR See Voir MAPLE FLAKES See Voir MAPLE BUTTER See Voir MAPLE TAFFY See Voir NAPSI-CERTIFIED MAPLE WATER See Voir MAPLE SPIRITS See Voir SPECIALTY PRODUCTS See Voir

MAPLE SYRUP FROM QUÉBEC

Maple Syrup from Québec is produced and sold in several colour classes.

Our maple syrup varies in colour and flavour in a completely natural way, directly related to the time at which
it is harvested in the sugaring-off season. Early on, the syrup is usually clear with a slightly sweet taste
(Golden, Delicate Taste and Amber, Rich Taste). As the season progresses, the syrup becomes darker
and more caramelized (Dark, Robust Taste and Very Dark, Strong Taste). Maple syrup from Québec contains
more than a hundred bioactive compounds, and significant quantities of vitamins and minerals.

Golden, Delicate Taste
This syrup comes from maple sap harvested at the very beginning of the sugaring-off season. It’s distinguished by
its light golden hue and sweet, delicate flavour. It’s a delicious topping for yogourt and ice cream.

Amber, Rich Taste
This syrup has a pure, rich taste and a magnificent amber colouring. It’s ideal as an ingredient in vinaigrettes
and all sorts of dishes and desserts.

Dark, Robust Taste
This syrup, with its more pronounced, caramelized flavour, is well-suited for cooking, baking, and sauces.
It’s celebrated for the way it enhances the taste of fruity dishes.

Very Dark, Strong Taste
This syrup is the product of maple sap harvested at the end of the sugaring-off season. Its flavour, more pronounced
than any of the previously-listed syrups, is rich and distinctive. It colours and perfumes sauces and glazes to perfection.

MAPLE SUGAR FROM QUÉBEC

Granulated maple sugar from Québec can have the texture
of table sugar, icing sugar or fructose.

It’s also found in the form of nuggets. This unique product can be used, in equal quantities,
as a substitute wherever recipes call for white or brown sugar. The distinctive yet delicate flavour
of maple sugar from Québec works beautifully in sweets (pastries and fruit desserts,
for example) as well as in savoury dishes or in tea and coffee.

HARD MAPLE SUGAR (FOR GRATING) FROM QUÉBEC

In compact block form, hard maple sugar from Québec was highly prized
in years past when it was known as country sugar, home sugar or sap sugar.

As it is today…true connaisseurs love it as a garnish, grated on French toast, toast and pancakes.
Some also put a light dusting of maple sugar on desserts or even meat and poultry dishes,
adding the subtle taste of maple from Québec.

MAPLE FLAKES FROM QUÉBEC

Maple flakes from Québec are made of freeze-dried, dehydrated maple syrup.

Maple flakes enhance the taste of cocktails, meat dishes, vegetables, and desserts. They’re also perfect
in crumb coatings and spice mixtures. Maple flakes from Québec are available plain or flavoured.

MAPLE BUTTER FROM QUÉBEC

Don’t let the name mislead you.
The ever-popular maple butter contains no butter or dairy.

It’s actually a fondant, a pastry term which refers to the buttery texture achieved in its preparation of cooking and churning.
Like all 100% pure Maple Products from Québec, maple butter is made of one sole ingredient: maple sap. It’s perfect for
topping desserts, pancakes and French toast, adding flavour to custard, or making marzipan with almonds.
Maple butter is also a successful addition to aromatic preparations such as pesto and pistou.

MAPLE TAFFY FROM QUÉBEC

Maple taffy from Québec is made of maple syrup boiled down to a concentrate.

At sugaring-off time, a century-old tradition in Québec, hot taffy is poured onto snow to cool, and be enjoyed!
As with all Maple Products from Québec, taffy is available all year round, in containers large and small.
Aside from heating and pouring it on the snow, this product should be tried in desserts like Italian meringue
and pralines. Maple taffy from Québec can also be used to flavour or enhance the taste of salty foods
like stuffed red meat and poultry.

NAPSI-CERTIFIED MAPLE WATER FROM QUÉBEC

NAPSI-certified maple water is the new rage and will be for years to come,
both commercially and gastronomically.

There should be no surprise that maple water from Québec is enjoying tremendous popularity. It holds 46 nutritional
compounds essential to life, growth, and protection for the tree. The best part is that it contains only 9 grams
of carbohydrates, or 35 calories per 375 ml!

NAPSI-certified maple water from Québec is first and foremost a pleasure to drink. Its sweet, delicate flavour is quite refreshing. Its refined taste,
subtle aroma and light sweetness have caught the attention of cooks and bakers at home and in professional kitchens. It has even been noted
that maple water creates osmosis that provides the treasured concentration of flavours that brings the fifth savory taste known as “umami.”

 

NAPSI Certification

Maple water from Québec has its own quality certification called NAPSI, established by the
Federation of Québec Maple Syrup Producers for the sake of authenticity and quality.

The harvesting and processing of NAPSI-certified products must meet rigorous standards that ensure food safety,
whether by the importer, manufacturer, packager, or chef. This seal also guarantees that consumers experience the drinking
of fresh, crystalline maple water, just as it came out of the tree. NAPSI is an acronym that best describes
the qualities of maple water from Québec:

Natural, as it comes from maple trees
Authentic, as it is the water that nature brings forth from the tree
Pure, as there are no added agents or ingredients
Sterile, as it contains no micro-organisms
Integral, as it is whole, unrefined, with all the compounds that nature gave it

For more information, go to napsi.ca.

MAPLE SPIRITS FROM QUÉBEC

Fermented maple water or maple-flavoured and blended liqueur, the many types
of maple spirits from Québec are made to sip or include in your recipes.

The choice is yours, from dessert wine to whisky liqueur, cream to sparkling…the possibilities
are as endless as the creativity of their artisans and your spirit of adventure.
Maple Spirits from Québec are pure joy to discover and explore!

SPECIALTY MAPLE PRODUCTS FROM QUÉBEC

There’s a wealth of local specialty products flavoured with Québec maple.

Vinaigrettes, vinegars, mustards and jellies, these products are good to go as is, or as accompaniments
to savory or sweet dishes. The delicate flavour of maple marries particularly well with marinades,
gourmet salads, terrines and the finest cheeses. It’s a family of excellent products to discover
and add your personal touch to a meal, for instance, in a unique tapas menu.

Classification guidelines

The new government regulations for the classification of maple syrup are now in effect.
This new grading regime separates maple syrup into two categories and four colour classes.

As of December 13, 2016, maple products for export are labelled in accordance with the
new classification system. Containers of maple syrup for sale in Québec, however, may display
grading by the old or new regulations. Maple producers who sell only in Québec
have until December 2017 to change the labelling of their products
to reflect the new classification system.
Grade A 
Grade A maple syrup is obtained only by concentrating maple sap, does not ferment,
is clear and uniform in colour, is free of objectionable odor or taste,
and has a maple flavour characteristic of its colour class.
Processing Grade
Processing Grade maple syrup is obtained only by concentrating maple sap,
ut it does not qualify for Grade A. 

 

 

Classification maple products  |  PDF

Certifications

Maple Products - Special Certifications

There are a number of different certifications for Maple Products from Québec, each attesting to
a particular mode of production and all affirming their superior quality. 

Organic Kosher NAPSI Other

Wellness

Maple: a partner in healthy eating

It’s common knowledge that maple syrup from Québec is 100% pure, without added colouring,
artificial flavours or preservatives. But did you know that they also contain minerals and vitamins?
It’s no wonder maple syrup’s properties and natural components are at the core of research projects
in Québec and around the world.

Like the World Health Organization (WHO), the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers suggests moderate sugar consumption.
The WHO recommends daily intake of added sugar not exceed 10% of total daily energy intake, which averages around 2,000 kcal.
That represents 50 grams of added sugar or 37.5 mL of maple syrup (just over 2 tbsp). 

 

NUTRITIONAL VALUE A unique molecule

Sports nutrition

Maple syrup and sports nutrition: a natural team

More and more sports athletes are fuelling up on maple syrup from Québec before, during and
after training. In fact, an upcoming study will show exactly why athletes are turning to maple syrup
s a source of natural energy. Watch this space for the research results!

The secret ingredient

Maple: From our Forest to your Table

While Maple Products from Québec are becoming more and more known for their benefits,
chefs and food-lovers are falling for their unique flavour. Their sweet and incomparable taste and
scent improves whatever dish it graces. Did you know that Maple Products from Québec even
stimulate umami, the “fifth taste” whose discovery has revolutionized the culinary world?

Maple and Umami