Last updated on January 5th, 2023 at 06:14 pm
Brattleboro, Vermont-based Bascom Maple Farms recently shared an update on the 2022 crop season, amongst the continued demand for maple syrup and maple sugar.
According to the update, the maple syrup crop was preferable in quantity and quality compared to the previous year. However, due to a short crop in 2021, the increasing demand for the pure maple syrup market has outgrown supply, putting upward pressure on prices.
“The 2022 crop was incredibly successful, with more syrup produced than ever before. Many sugar-makers reached record production,” said Arnold Coombs, executive director of sales and marketing, Bascom Maple Farms and Coombs Family Farms.
“In the U.S., a record-breaking 14.3 million trees were tapped in 2022. The production of organic syrup also slightly surpassed that of conventional syrup, accounting for 45 percent of the crop in the U.S. and 55 percent in Quebec.
“At Bascom Maple Farms, we tapped 105,000 trees by mid-February, started boiling in late February and finished with production in April. We saw great flavor and sweetness this year across the grade spectrum, with most syrups produced being lighter in color than recent years and providing a more delicate flavor to consumers.”
While the 2022 crop season was successful in terms of the quality and quantity of syrup, many challenges such as continued supply chain issues, employee costs and inflationary conditions face the industry and contribute to the rising cost of maple syrup.
“In addition to syrup prices increasing due to increased demand, everything else has as well,” Coombs said.
“Freight costs, both in and outbound, have skyrocketed. In addition, costs for everything from containers, caps, labels and cardboard, to labor and health insurance have all risen as well. We greatly appreciate our clients’ support and loyalty as we progress with positive changes while navigating these issues – all to continue providing the highest quality sustainably sourced, 100 percent pure maple syrup.”
Bascom Maple Farms provides sweetening and flavor solutions that offer nutritional and functional benefits. It offers pure and organic options with a clean label for a range of sustainable sweetening and flavor solutions. The formulation experts help brands select the right grade of 100 percent pure maple syrup or maple sugar to deliver a balance of natural function and flavor.
Available in all grades with a variety of forms, sizes and packaging from glass bottles to drums and totes, Bascom Maple Farms has the maple product to help get new products out of research and development and onto retailers’ shelves faster.
To learn more about Bascom’s portfolio of natural and organic maple syrup solutions, visit maplesource.com.
