Maple Syrup, Fraud, and the Cost of Rigorous Sourcing
Maple syrup is not a simple ingredient. It is seasonal. It is variable. It is highly controlled. And increasingly, it is under pressure.
This year in Quebec, the season has been shorter. Lower yield, tighter supply, higher prices. At the same time, a recent investigation revealed that syrup sold as “pure maple syrup” was in fact diluted with cane sugar and distributed across grocery chains.
You can read the investigation here:
This is not a marginal issue.
Maple Syrup Is a High-Risk Ingredient
Maple syrup is one of the most valuable natural products in Quebec.
A single barrel can reach close to $1,000, and the province produces the majority of the global supply.
Because of this, it is also one of the most targeted foods for fraud.
It is classified among the most adulterated foods globally, alongside products like olive oil and honey.
This is not new.
In 2011, nearly 3,000 tonnes of maple syrup were stolen from Quebec’s strategic reserve — a theft valued at over $18 million.
The product has always carried value.
Where there is value, there are shortcuts.
What Dilution Actually Means
When maple syrup is diluted with other sugars, the impact is immediate:
Loss of mineral content
Loss of depth and structure
Loss of traceability
Maple syrup naturally contains minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and manganese.
These are not added.
They come from the tree and the soil.
When syrup is altered, those characteristics disappear.
What remains is sweetness — without substance.
Rigorous Sourcing Is the Only Control
At Chloé Robi, we produce at scale in Montreal and distribute across all Rachelle Béry stores.
Scaling production does not change the ingredient.
It requires tighter control over it.
Our maple syrup is:
Certified organic
100% pure
Never diluted, never blended
Sourced from a Quebec family producer
Verified annually with harvest certification
This is rigorous sourcing.
Not as a positioning — as a requirement.
Why It Matters in the Final Product
A cookie is a finished product.
But it reflects every upstream decision.
When the syrup is right, the structure is right.
The flavour holds. The sweetness is integrated.
When it is not, no formulation can correct it.
The Standard
Maple syrup supply will continue to fluctuate.
Pricing will continue to rise.
Pressure on the category will remain.
Our approach will not change.
We will continue to source with precision.
And we will continue to build products from ingredients that can be traced, verified, and understood.
—
Chloé Robi
Produced in Montreal
Available in all Rachelle Béry stores
Certified Aliments du Québec
