Local farm honours 25 years of sweetness
When Carleton North residents Gus and Sandra Hargrove, owners of Canadian Organic Maple Co., started their business 25 years ago, they had a vision for a sustainable, profitable use of Crown land.
When Juniper Lumber had to foreclose on its operating license, the Hargroves knew there were better options for the land than merely harvesting lumber. They were determined to pursue their dream of operating a business that would share Canadian maple syrup with the world.
However, their dreams didn’t come easily, and they had to fight to secure the right to operate on the Crown Land parcel.
“They had to prove it was three times more valuable [to produce syrup] than to harvest the trees,” said Zak Hargrove, Gus and Sandra’s son, who now works for the maple farm.
Gus said they also had to prove that the maple farm would benefit both the community and the province.
Thanks to local community support, the Hargroves secured their license and took over 300 acres of former Juniper Lumber land, starting with 65,000 taps. Today, they operate on about 800 hectares, tapping nearly 130,000 trees in Divide.
Hargrove shared that his parents’ business plan was always to be exporters.
“They didn’t want to encroach on local suppliers,” said Hargrove. He further explained that almost all of their business has been in international exports to Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Today, they are exporting the equivalent of 500,000 375 ml bottles of syrup.
As their business grew, the family decided to build a processing and bottling facility, which Hargrove owns and operates.
The new company, South Ride Maple Co., is located near the maple farm and opened in 2015. Keeping all production local was important to the family, and Hargrove shared that between the two companies, they have 50 full-time employees.
Hargrove noted that the maple industry in New Brunswick is “strong,” and producers are supportive of one another. He emphasized,
“It’s not a competition among the producers, it’s a ‘help each other out’ community.” Hargrove added that according to StatsCan, the demand for maple syrup is increasing by 7% each year, so there is “no problem for everyone to participate.”
With growing global demand creating expansion opportunities for the business, Hargrove shared that Canadian Organic Maple Co. has a three-year plan to add more taps and start marketing in new countries.
Hargrove said he hopes they can be a “positive story about successful local business in the River Valley.”
He added that, although their crown operating license had changed hands many times before his family took it over, his parents not only met but exceeded requirements and now take pride in 25 years as consistent operators.
Hargrove credited their success to the strong support of family, friends, community, and employees. He congratulated his parents on their continued success and wished all maple syrup producers in the valley a bountiful harvest.
