Maple syrup is the perfect pairing for just about every breakfast item. French toast? Obviously, it’s better swimming in syrup. Pancakes? Undeniably delicious topped with syrup and even sweeter with syrup in the batter. Biscuits? Yeah, those taste better with maple syrup, too. The United States produces some pretty darn good maple syrup, but everyone knows for a true maple syrup experience, you have to turn to the country with a literal maple leaf on its national flag.
Canada is the country that makes most of the world’s maple syrup, but unless you’re making a monthly trip to The Great White North, you’ll need to find Canadian maple syrup here in the States. In person, you’ll find true Canadian maple syrup in big-name retail stores such as World Market, Costco, Walmart, and sometimes Whole Foods. Online purchases have a broader range, with digital retailers such as Amazon, Etsy, FreshDirect, Boxed, Maple Syrup World, Bonanza, and Fine Maple Products being just a few that ship to the U.S. And no, you don’t have to say “eh?” every time you open the bottle, we promise.
Canadians don’t mess around when it comes to maple syrup
Canada doesn’t just talk a big game when it comes to maple syrup production, given that the country is responsible for about 80% of maple products sold around the globe. The tradition stretches back hundreds of years, long before Europeans landed on North American soil, to the Indigenous populations of Canada. What began as a simple extraction process of cutting ‘v’ shapes into maple trees evolved into elaborate tubing systems and vacuums. In 2024, Canadian maple farms broke a national record by producing 19.9 million gallons of maple syrup, a whopping 91.3% increase from the previous year. That’s some serious maple business!
The U.S. is second in the world for maple syrup production, with Vermont being the state that produces the most maple syrup in the country. Maple syrup lovers argue that Canada’s liquid gold is of higher quality than the U.S.’s because Canadian farmers use techniques carried down through generations, while Americans are more likely to use modern equipment. In 2024, Vermont produced about 3.1 million gallons of maple syrup, compared to Quebec’s 18 million gallons. If you’re hoping for a taste of that sweet, Canadian delight on your morning hotcakes or maple bourbon steak tips, keep your eye out for the ‘100% pure maple syrup’ label and a sign that the bottle comes directly from The Land of Maple Syrup.
