February 2020
Summary
In 2018, Canada exported Can$405.6 million worth of maple syrup around the world, with Can$353.7 million going to five main partners. Between January and July 2019, world exports of Canadian maple syrup had already reached Can$240.4 million, of which Can$209.6 million went to five main markets.
Canada exported Can$250.5 million worth of maple syrup to the United States in 2018, with the top five US destinations accounting for Can$131.8 million of that amount. By July 2019, Canadian maple syrup exports to the US had already reached Can$149.6 million, which bodes well for the rest of the year.
Between 2014 and 2018, 1,309 new products containing maple syrup were launched in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup, 732 of them in the United States (US).
Among the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup, the largest number of new products containing maple syrup were launched in the bakery products category (247) between 2014 and 2018. In the US, the largest number of new products containing maple syrup were launched in the breakfast cereal category (146) during the same period.
The destination country for Canadian exports where the largest number of new products containing maple syrup between 2014 and 2018 were launched was the United States. A total of 511 products were launched in the New Variety / Range Extension category.
In the US, 305 new products containing maple syrup were launched at a price ranging from US$0.66 to US$4.65, while 261 new products with the same ingredient profile were launched at a price ranging from US$4.66 to US$8.6 between 2014 and 2018.
Between 2014 and 2018, the top five distribution channels in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup were supermarkets, health food / organic food stores, supermarkets/hypermarkets, online/mail orders and neighbourhood businesses. During this period, the US launched a total of 505 new products containing maple syrup in supermarkets and health food / organic food stores.
The "low/no/reduced allergens" claim was the most sought after among the new products containing maple syrup launched in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup: a total of 508 claims were identified. The "gluten free" claim came in second place, with 472 claims between 2014 and 2018. In the US, these claims accounted for 745 of the 980 marketing claims between 2014 and 2018.
Of the 732 new products containing maple syrup launched in the US between 2014 and 2018, 100 were launched by the 10 biggest brands: Trader Joe's, Hail Merry and Brown Cow launched 15, 12 and 11 new products, respectively, over the four-year period (2014 to 2018).
Canadian exports to the world
Total Canadian maple syrup exports increased from 6.4% between 2017 and 2018, with a value of Can$405.6 million. The US was the main destination for these exports in 2018, accounting for Can$250.5 million, while Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia bought Can$103.2 million worth, bringing total Canadian maple syrup exports to the top five countries to Can$335.1 million in 2018.
In 2019, total Canadian maple syrup exports between January and July were worth Can$240.4 million, with the top five markets accounting for Can$209.6 million of that amount.
| Canadian dollars | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (July) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 195.7 | 229.2 | 236.3 | 236.1 | 250.5 | 149.6 |
| Germany | 25.9 | 31.0 | 40.0 | 40.7 | 44.9 | 25.3 |
| Japan | 29.6 | 26.3 | 25.8 | 22.9 | 22.2 | 13.0 |
| United Kingdom | 12.3 | 16.2 | 16.6 | 17.7 | 18.6 | 11.4 |
| Australia | 10.0 | 12.1 | 15.6 | 17.6 | 17.5 | 10.3 |
| Total of top 5 countries | 273.5 | 314.8 | 334.3 | 335.1 | 353.7 | 209.6 |
| Total | 309.6 | 359.5 | 381.4 | 381.3 | 405.6 | 240.4 |
|
Source: Statistics Canada - Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis Note: A detailed breakdown and product list can be found in Appendix A. |
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Canadian exports to the United States
Canadian maple syrup exports to the top five American states were worth Can$131.8 million in 2018, accounting for 52.2% of all the Canadian maple syrup exported to the US.
Between January and July 2019, the top five states accounted for 54.8% of all Canadian maple syrup exports to the US, while total Canadian maple syrup exports to the US were valued at Can$149.6 million during that period.
| Canadian dollars | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (July) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 32.6 | 38.1 | 40.8 | 39.1 | 39.5 | 24.6 |
| Vermont | 37.5 | 41.4 | 37.1 | 30.1 | 35.9 | 24.8 |
| Indiana | 15.7 | 17.5 | 17.1 | 24.8 | 20.6 | 11.5 |
| New Hampshire | 14.7 | 16.5 | 19.2 | 18.7 | 20.2 | 8.7 |
| Illinois | 12.2 | 15.2 | 16.6 | 16.9 | 15.5 | 12.3 |
| Total of top 5 US states | 112.6 | 128.6 | 130.8 | 129.6 | 131.8 | 82.0 |
| Total | 195.7 | 229.2 | 236.3 | 236.1 | 250.5 | 149.6 |
|
Source: Statistics Canada - Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis Note: A detailed breakdown and product list can be found in Appendix B. |
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Products containing maple syrup launched around the world
Between 2014 and 2018, 1,309 products containing maple syrup were launched in the top five Canadian maple syrup export markets. In 2018, 142 new products containing maple syrup were launched in the US, or 48.5% of all maple syrup products launched in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup.
| Country | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | Total sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 80 | 133 | 180 | 197 | 142 | 732 |
| United Kingdom | 21 | 48 | 57 | 56 | 66 | 248 |
| Japan | 38 | 33 | 24 | 34 | 25 | 154 |
| Germany | 16 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 32 | 110 |
| Australia | 6 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 28 | 65 |
| Total | 161 | 243 | 288 | 324 | 293 | 1,309 |
|
Source: Mintel, 2019 |
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In the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup between 2014 and 2018, the following were the five leading product categories, in decreasing order: breakfast cereal; snack products; bakery products; processed fish, meat and egg products; and ready meals and meal centres.
In the United States, the category with the largest number of products containing maple syrup launched was breakfast cereal, with 146 between 2014 and 2018, while a total of 203 new products were launched in the same category in the top five Canadian maple syrup export markets during that period.
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| Country | Bakery products | Snacks | Breakfast cereals | Processed fish, meat and egg products | Ready meals and meal centres |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 111 | 114 | 146 | 90 | 55 |
| United Kingdom | 27 | 47 | 26 | 35 | 54 |
| Japan | 102 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Germany | 5 | 21 | 11 | 7 | 7 |
| Australia | 2 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Total sample | 247 | 212 | 203 | 138 | 118 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
The top five types of products containing maple syrup launched in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup are New Variety / Range Extension, New Product, New Packaging, Relaunch and New Formulation.
The United States recorded the largest number of launches of new products containing maple syrup among the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup between 2014 and 2018, with 255 new varieties / range extensions, 256 new products and 154 products in the New Packaging category. Together, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Australia accounted for 455 products containing maple syrup launched in the New Variety / Range Extension and New Product categories between 2014 and 2018.
Description of above image
| Launch type | United States | United Kingdom | Japan | Germany | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Variety / Range Extension | 255 | 120 | 102 | 43 | 30 |
| New Product | 256 | 65 | 19 | 49 | 27 |
| New Packaging | 154 | 36 | 5 | 13 | 6 |
| Relaunch | 65 | 22 | 28 | 3 | 1 |
| New Formulation | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Total Sample | 732 | 248 | 154 | 110 | 65 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
The top five price categories of the new products containing maple syrup launched between 2014 and 2018 in the top five Canadian export markets ranged between US$0.66-US$4.65 and US$16.66-US$24.00, and 712 of these products cost between US$0.66 and US$4.65.
The United States recorded 566 new products containing maple syrup at a price ranging from US$0.66 to US$8.65 between 2014 and 2018, while the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany and Australia combined recorded 532 new products containing maple syrup in the same price category.
Description of above image
| Price in US$ (Group) | United States | United Kingdom | Japan | Germany | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.66-4.65 | 305 | 154 | 150 | 72 | 31 |
| 4.66-8.65 | 261 | 70 | 3 | 33 | 19 |
| 8.66-12.65 | 103 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| 12.66-16.65 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 16.66-24.00 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total sample | 732 | 248 | 154 | 110 | 65 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
The top five distribution channels for maple products in the top five export markets for Canadian maple syrup were supermarkets, health food / organic food stores, supermarkets/hypermarkets, online/mail orders and neighbourhood businesses.
Neighbourhood businesses were the most popular location for the launch of new products containing maple syrup. A total of 542 products containing maple syrup were launched among the top five export destinations for Canadian maple syrup between 2014 and 2018.
The US recorded 262 launches of new products containing maple syrup in supermarkets and 243 launches through the distribution channel of health food / organic food stores between 2014 and 2018.
Description of above image
| Country | Supermarket | Health food/organic food store | Mass merchandise/hypermarket | Online/mail order | Local business |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 262 | 243 | 87 | 38 | 2 |
| United Kingdom | 110 | 14 | 32 | 50 | 2 |
| Japan | 76 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 62 |
| Germany | 35 | 28 | 17 | 6 | 0 |
| Australia | 59 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total sample | 542 | 285 | 136 | 99 | 67 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
Consumer products can be the subject of a countless number of claims, many of which may overlap. For example, a maple product may be gluten free, but also organic and vegan, so it is important to consider each marketing claim separately in order to obtain a comprehensive view of a product's benefits.
Between 2014 and 2018, the four main marketing claims of new products containing maple syrup launched in the top five Canadian maple syrup export markets were low/no/reduced allergens, gluten free, kosher, no additives/preservatives and GMO free.
In the US, between 2014 and 2018, 384 new products containing maple syrup were labelled "low/no/reduced allergens," 361 new products were labelled "gluten free" and 315 were labelled "kosher."
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| Marketing claim | United States | United Kingdom | Japan | Germany | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low/no/reduced allergens | 384 | 68 | 1 | 26 | 29 |
| Gluten free | 361 | 66 | 0 | 22 | 23 |
| Kosher | 315 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| No additives/preservatives | 208 | 66 | 5 | 22 | 32 |
| GMO free | 294 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| Ethical - Environmentally friendly packaging | 135 | 127 | 6 | 7 | 23 |
| Recycling | 122 | 126 | 3 | 3 | 22 |
| Social networks | 187 | 56 | 2 | 5 | 25 |
| Organic | 198 | 18 | 2 | 51 | 6 |
| Vegan | 173 | 50 | 0 | 33 | 16 |
Source: Mintel, 2019
Note that some products may fall into more than one claim category
Of the 732 new products containing maple syrup launched in the US between 2014 and 2018, the top 10 brands combined accounted for 100 new products. Trader Joe's came out on top, launching 15 new products containing maple syrup, while Hail Merry launched 12 new products and Brown Cow 11. Jack's Paleo Kitchen and Great Value each added 10 new products containing maple syrup to their range of products during that period.
| Brand | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | Total sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trader Joe's | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 15 |
| Hail Merry | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
| Brown Cow | 1 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| Jack's Paleo Kitchen | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Great Value | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| Coco-Roons | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 |
| Made in Nature Organic | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| Bear Naked | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Jimmy Dean | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Meijer | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| Total | 80 | 133 | 180 | 197 | 142 | 732 |
| Source: Mintel, 2019 | ||||||
Examples of products launched
Organic Maple Butter
| Company | Trader Joe's |
|---|---|
| Brand | Trader Joe's |
| Category | Sweet spreads |
| Sub-category | Syrups |
| Market | United States |
| Distribution type | Supermarket |
| Launch date | November 2018 |
| Launch type | New variety / Range extension |
| Price in local currency | US$5.99 |
| Price in Euros | 5.25 |
Trader Joe's organic maple butter is now available. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)-certified organic and kosher product is described as a spreadable, creamy maple syrup. The company recommends spreading it on toast and topping it with crumbled bacon, using it as a dip for sliced apples or pretzels, or eating it by the spoonful. It is sold in 9.5-ounce (oz) jars in stores.
Naturally Hardwood Smoked Maple Bacon
| Company | Meijer |
|---|---|
| Brand | Meijer |
| Category | Processed fish, meat and egg products |
| Sub-category | Meat products |
| Market | United States |
| Production site | United States |
| Import status | Not imported |
| Store name | Meijer |
| Distribution type | Supermarket |
| Launch date | October 2018 |
| Launch type | New variety / Range extension |
| Price in local currency | US$4.99 |
| Price in Euros | 4.25 |
Meijer's naturally hardwood smoked maple bacon is now available. It has a delicious maple flavour thanks to natural and artificial flavours. Inspected and approved by the USDA, this bacon can be defrosted in the microwave and is sold in a 16-oz package that includes cooking instructions.
Chocolate Almond Butter Cups
| Company | Hail Merry |
|---|---|
| Distributor | Hail Merry |
| Brand | Hail Merry |
| Category | Bakery |
| Sub-category | Cakes, pastries and sweet goods |
| Market | United States |
| Store name | Walmart |
| Distribution type | Mass merchandise / Hypermarket |
| Launch date | September 2018 |
| Launch type | New packaging |
| Price in local currency | US$1.98 |
| Price in Euros | 1.71 |
Chocolate almond butter cups have been repackaged under a new product name. This product is described as a fabulous treat that is easy to share and store because of its size. This delicious product is made with virgin coconut oil, good nut oils, creamy almond butter and a rich dark chocolate ganache that melt together in sweet and salty perfection. It is certified kosher and vegan, and does not contain any gluten, dairy products or GMOs. It has 6 grams (g) of protein and is sold in stores in a 1.76-oz package.
Appendices
| Canadian dollars | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (July) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 17022010 Maple sugar (Kilograms) | Japan | 2,314,181 | 1,941,960 | 2,293,965 | 3,461,242 | 3,320,945 | 1,938,051 |
| United States | 909,988 | 1,654,984 | 1,578,512 | 1,663,514 | 2,346,640 | 1,626,691 | |
| Germany | 348,699 | 715,107 | 909,687 | 2,157,978 | 1,234,594 | 1,227,205 | |
| France | 216,868 | 353,468 | 350,361 | 1,267,127 | 755,053 | 155,891 | |
| United Kingdom | 493,135 | 226,657 | 232,805 | 563,309 | 163,581 | 4,896 | |
| Total of top 5 countries | 4,282,871 | 4,892,176 | 5,365,330 | 9,113,170 | 7,820,813 | 4,952,734 | |
| Total | 5,614,694 | 5,742,134 | 6,268,297 | 11,473,410 | 9,090,007 | 5,413,883 | |
| HS 17022020 Maple syrup (Kilograms) | United States | 194,769,775 | 227,512,561 | 234,700,829 | |||
| Germany | 25,540,985 | 30,319,963 | 39,133,324 | ||||
| Japan | 27,309,392 | 24,381,549 | 23,462,103 | ||||
| United Kingdom | 12,199,446 | 16,081,995 | 16,351,361 | ||||
| Australia | 9,532,333 | 11,861,529 | 15,443,363 | ||||
| Total of top 5 countries | 269,351,931 | 310,157,597 | 329,090,980 | ||||
| Total | 304,006,729 | 353,765,506 | 375,138,998 | ||||
| HS 17022021 Certified organic maple syrup, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter (Kilograms) | Germany | 20,450,146 | 25,853,923 | 19,635,747 | |||
| Japan | 5,872,873 | 5,548,853 | 2,697,094 | ||||
| Australia | 5,201,103 | 5,423,712 | 2,048,064 | ||||
| United Kingdom | 4,104,529 | 4,334,539 | 2,666,923 | ||||
| Denmark | 3,806,405 | 4,245,103 | 2,216,753 | ||||
| Total of top 5 countries | 39,435,056 | 45,406,130 | 29,264,581 | ||||
| Total | 54,582,238 | 62,328,537 | 38,692,951 | ||||
| HS 17022029 Maple syrup, other than organic certified, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter (Kilograms) | United States | 234,440,646 | 248,136,979 | 147,990,465 | |||
| Germany | 18,112,704 | 17,783,254 | 4,474,988 | ||||
| United Kingdom | 13,065,571 | 14,069,112 | 8,692,685 | ||||
| Japan | 13,610,396 | 13,363,268 | 8,355,795 | ||||
| Australia | 12,039,015 | 12,020,610 | 8,236,788 | ||||
| Total of top 5 countries | 291,268,332 | 305,373,223 | 177,750,721 | ||||
| Total | 315,286,165 | 334,231,110 | 196,320,585 | ||||
| Source: Statistics Canada - Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Global Analysis | |||||||
| Canadian dollars | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 (July) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS 17022010 Maple sugar (Kilograms) | Utah | 0 | 5,117 | 7,162 | 118,435 | 1,414,224 | 1,192,640 |
| California | 244,124 | 335,851 | 592,567 | 804,297 | 176,514 | 69,187 | |
| Maryland | 192,150 | 289,671 | 285,853 | 83,556 | 71,866 | 67,615 | |
| Illinois | 80,018 | 111,550 | 112,193 | 302,126 | 213,358 | 149,002 | |
| New Jersey | 89,346 | 331,792 | 125,559 | 102,922 | 16,354 | 54,395 | |
| Total of top 5 states | 605,638 | 1,073,981 | 1,123,334 | 1,411,336 | 1,892,316 | 1,532,839 | |
| Total | 909,988 | 1,654,984 | 1,578,512 | 1,663,514 | 2,346,640 | 1,626,691 | |
| HS 17022020 Maple syrup (Kilograms) | Vermont | 37,508,599 | 41,362,250 | 37,034,366 | |||
| California | 32,308,151 | 37,740,465 | 40,242,447 | ||||
| New Hampshire | 14,712,505 | 16,468,808 | 19,155,333 | ||||
| Indiana | 15,681,305 | 17,480,579 | 17,061,503 | ||||
| Illinois | 12,100,254 | 15,087,989 | 16,528,336 | ||||
| Total of top 5 states | 112,310,814 | 128,140,091 | 130,021,985 | ||||
| Total | 194,769,775 | 227,512,561 | 234,700,829 | ||||
| HS 17022029 Maple syrup, other than organic certified, not containing added flavouring or colouring matter (Kilograms) | California | 38,261,192 | 39,367,985 | 24,507,152 | |||
| Vermont | 30,127,780 | 35,928,444 | 24,827,390 | ||||
| Indiana | 24,765,414 | 20,558,648 | 11,479,787 | ||||
| New Hampshire | 18,738,246 | 20,222,584 | 8,724,322 | ||||
| Illinois | 16,610,137 | 15,272,117 | 12,192,509 | ||||
| Total of top 5 states | 128,502,769 | 131,349,778 | 81,731,160 | ||||
| Total | 234,440,646 | 248,136,979 | 147,990,465 | ||||
| Source: Statistics Canada - Prepared by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Global Analysis | |||||||
Resources
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2019
- Mintel, 2019
- Statistics Canada, 2019
Customized report service – Canadian maple syrup
Global Analysis Report
Prepared by: André Ajaltouny
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