The sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a hardwood tree native to the forests of northeastern North America. It is the primary species used to produce maple syrup, though other maple species are also tapped on a smaller scale.
Maple syrup production is concentrated in Quebec (which produces roughly 70% of the global supply), other parts of eastern Canada, and the northeastern United States. The industry is deeply tied to the region’s culture, economy, and seasonal rhythms.
In Australia, maple syrup is entirely imported and widely available. It is used as a sweetener, topping, and flavouring ingredient. Pure maple syrup should not be confused with ‘maple-flavoured syrup,’ which is typically a sugar syrup with added flavouring.
How it's produced
Maple syrup production is a seasonal harvest. In late winter and early spring, when daytime temperatures rise above freezing but nights remain cold, the sap in sugar maples begins to flow. Trees are tapped by drilling a small hole into the trunk and inserting a spout. Sap — which is about 2% sugar — is collected either in hanging buckets or through networks of plastic tubing that carry it directly to a central collection point.
The sap is then boiled in large evaporators to drive off water, concentrating it into syrup. It takes roughly 40 litres of sap to produce 1 litre of maple syrup. The process is energy-intensive but remains fundamentally simple — pure maple syrup contains nothing but concentrated, heat-treated sap.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for sugar, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
What comes from this
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