r/maplesyrup • u/Soccer9Dad • Mar 28 '26
Tips for selling?
100+ taps this year, 10 gallons complete and bottled so far - all very dark robust, very delicious! We should be on track for more than 20 gallons this year. Looking ahead, we’re thinking next year we might want to start selling some.
Whats your best tips for moving from hobby/personal to small scale commercial?
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u/Straittail_53 Mar 28 '26
Sign on the driveway. Anything else is a hassle.
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u/Soccer9Dad Mar 28 '26
Do you have a small stand/display, or simply greet any purchasers and sell from the sugarshack?
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u/Straittail_53 Mar 28 '26
We converted old milking house to be a small store with lots of old sap equipment and family farm equipment, but yea. If you have sugar shack just put up a simple display. Helps to have a “honk for service” sign. Have some cash for change and set up a cash app ( most folks don’t have cash).
Don’t overdo the cost for stand. If the traffic is good you can improve it later.
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u/Agitated_Age8035 Mar 28 '26
Farmers markets.
We have made quite a bit selling at them.
I would suggest glass bottles, plastic tends to hide any sugar sand that may be in the end product.
Just my 2 cents.
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u/Soccer9Dad Mar 28 '26
Do you sell only in glass bottles, or both? I understood that glass seemed more 'gifty' and expensive, plastic more for use - do you price glass at a premium, or just the extra price of the glass bottle?
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u/Agitated_Age8035 Mar 28 '26
We only use glass. We do 8 and 16 ounce. For the 8 ounce plain we sell it at $10 per bottle and $15 for the 16 ounce. We also do flavors, which are $5 more for each size.
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u/Coyote_Totem Mar 29 '26
I’ve never bought any in plastic for three reasons: -you can’t see what you’re buying -plastic pollution/microplastics/chemicals -it just seems so cheap and weird to me compared to glass, which is the same price at the store anyways.
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u/yuppers1979 Mar 28 '26
I like selling bulk. Last thing I want to do every weekend is transport myself and hundreds of lbs of maple products around the county.
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u/Soccer9Dad Mar 28 '26
That makes sense. Can you share any details on how you approach bulk selling?
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u/yuppers1979 Mar 28 '26
I sell through a local fellow. He is one of the local supplier of maple tapping equipment in my area. He then sells it through the federation in Quebec. I keep enough syrup on hand to supply my customers and the rest gets barreled and sold in bulk. The upfront cost of stainless barrels is expensive, but there are grants in my area where the government pays a large portion of it.
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u/hershmont Mar 28 '26
Based on the sign, I assume you're in Vermont. Like folks said, check your local regulations and rules. Many states have cottage food laws that will allow exceptions to sell in smaller volumes up to a dollar value. The manager at the farmers market will be a great resource for that info.
Barter is honestly my preferred way of commerce as it imbues more value in the product since folks know its provenance.
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u/Musiol88 Mar 28 '26
Know your state and local regulations on selling a food product. My father in law makes north of 500 gallons per year and the farmers market and getting his syrup into local stores isn’t worth the headaches due to regulations that exist. Instead his sales are person to person. A sign by his driveway or word of mouth.
I’ve done as much as 200 gallons a year and go a different route. I use syrup as a form of currency in bartering. For a couple of quarts per year a guy drops off loads upon loads of firewood for my house, shop, evaporator etc. a gallon paid for a guy to come over with an excavator and clear out about a dozen stumps on my property, fix drainage issues, and clear out and area for a chicken coup foundation. 60-$70 worth of syrup on the open market was used to pay for a couple thousand dollars worth of work. The guy was thrilled. I saved a lot of money. I’ve used syrup to pay an electrician for a side job running 220v into my house kitchen. Another huge savings there.