‘We have contracted farmers all the way to New Brunswick, and we ship to Japan, China and Switzerland,’ says owner of Bracebridge farm
A tech consultant-turned-entrepreneur is bringing maple syrup into the 21st century with Maple Monthly, a subscription service that delivers curated boxes of maple products from maple farms to homes across Canada.
Joshua Ponton, of Ottawa, launched the business Feb. 1, just in time for the start of the maple syrup season.
Maple Orchard Farms in Bracebridge is the first area maple producer to sign up as a supplier. Owners Ruth and David Knappett have been in business for 37 years.
“We have contracted farmers all the way to New Brunswick, and we ship to Japan, China and Switzerland,” said Ruth.
They are looking forward to working with Ponton on a regular basis.
“It gets our name out there,” she said.
With a factory outlet store, the Knappetts carry a wide range of products including maple syrup, maple fudge, maple butter, maple chocolate, maple sugar, maple popcorn, maple vinaigrette, maple cream, and maple roasted peanuts.
They also offer organic cranberry products, pure chocolate products, artisan Ontario cheese, teas, and coffees.
“If it isn’t amazing, we don’t carry it,” said Ruth.
While Maple Orchard Farms has signed on, other producers are finding out about Maple Monthly. Ponton is partnering with maple syrup producers in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
“We are reaching out and adding new ones every day. It’s shocking how many there are. There’s no shortage to keep it interesting for subscribers,” said Ponton.
He said subscribers can be anyone in Canada who likes maple syrup, who wants to learn more about the history or wants to support the different producers across the nation. So far, he has 70 subscribers signed up in advance of the launch.
“We highlight their specialty products in a box. Our subscribers don’t get to select which farms they receive. We curate a box. It gets sent to them and they get to explore a new farm, a new region, a new tasting every month,” he said.
Along with the maple products, subscribers get cards with information about the producers, their process for creating the syrup, tasting notes, and recipes.
“So, the consumer can learn along the way while they are tasting the products,” Ponton said.
He got the idea after attending a maple syrup tasting event in Quebec.
“It was shocking how different the syrups can be. Syrup isn’t just syrup. There is so much diversity and character to it,” he said.
The cost of a monthly subscription ranges from $50 a month for monthly boxes, $55 each for every other month or $60 each for quarterly boxes, including shipping. There is no tax because it is a food item.
“That is a great cost saving,” said Ponton.
Those who want to subscribe can find out more at the Maple Monthly website.