From backyard operations to larger farms, producers are expanding maple syrup production to keep up with demand. That process begins with tapping sugar maple trees, where sap is collected.
"That temperature is an indication of how thick the maple syrup is,” Wilson said inside their sugar shack.
It’s an hour-long process to get the syrup to the right consistency, but the product is worth the wait. Last year, Wilson Family Maple Syrup in Albion produced 150 gallons of maple syrup.
"We have a lot more people showing up that come back; they are return customers, and they bring their family members,” Wilson said.
According to USDA data, in 2025, Maine was the fourth-largest producer of maple syrup in the country. The state produced nearly 550,000 gallons of maple syrup last year. That’s nearly double what Maine produced 20 years ago.
“It does grow quite a bit every year, it’s amazing for the maple syrup industry,” Sherry Wilson, the co-owner of Wilson Family Maple Syrup, said.
Demand is rising globally, driven by a shift toward natural organic sweeteners and a desire for healthier syrup alternatives.
“People want to be more healthy, health conscious, so having maple syrup as health is the health benefits of it,” Sherry Wilson said.
Williams Family Farm in Clifton is seeing a similar demand.
“We've been very fortunate, we've been growing every year,” John Williams, the co-owner of Williams Family Farm, said.
The business produced 1,500 gallons of maple syrup in 2025.
“We do not retail that we've wholesale some to large bottlers and we've also wholesaled some to other maple producers that can't produce enough for their market,” Williams said.
According to the Maine Maple Producers Association, maple syrup generates more than $55 million dollars for the state's economy annually.
source of article nbcchannel 6 Portland
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