Quebec has 7,400 maple syrup producers. Of these, only 200 receive customers in the dining room and spread agricultural know-how around maple syrup. With the pandemic that hit, the number of sugar shacks – already in decline – has dropped to 140, according to Stéphanie Laurin, president of the brand new Association des salles de réception et érablières du Québec . “In the spring of 2020, we had to close our doors on the eve of the official opening,” recalls the woman who is also in the process of taking over from her parents at the Chalet des Érables located in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines.

On the edge of the precipice

A maple syrup season for us is an investment of about $300,000. Faced with an empty calendar and soaring sales, I was looking for solutions." The mother called a few colleagues in Quebec to see how close they all were to bankruptcy. Not to mention the glaring problem of a lack of succession that has become more acute during the pandemic: Stéphanie Laurin's two brothers who were supposed to take over the family business with her have also jumped ship in recent months.

“When I wanted to knock on doors for help, I realized that, despite their good intentions, the existing associations (maple producers, restaurateurs, UPA) did not represent our combined reality as producers, farmers and restaurateurs,” says Stéphanie. “So I decided to create our own association in July 2020 to represent ourselves to government authorities. We also spoke out in the media to cry out our suffering, but no one listened last summer.”

The beautiful stories of box cabins

A STRATEGIC PARTNER

And yet, the call was heard. Sylvain Arsenault of the marketing agency Prospek had 400 hours of subsidized employee time in the bank that he wanted to devote to an economic cause.

"And to think that I threw away the bill for calling him back twice!" laughs Stéphanie Laurin heartily. "I didn't have the heart to be solicited when our company was going through a dark period." And she's not easily convinced. "He suggested getting back into meal boxes, but the initiative wasn't profitable for us last year. The cabins are often one or two hours' drive from major centers. That's a long way to go to get bins in a cardboard box!"

The idea of having drop-off points in grocery stores is taking shape… The next morning, a meeting with the parent company of Metro grocery stores was already organized. “After five minutes of telling them my story, they were moved. They asked me: ‘What can we do to help? We are ready to put our 200 grocery stores in the province at your disposal.’ And they did it voluntarily, to save the sugar shacks of Quebec!”

A FEW MONTHS TO GET ORGANIZED

In the fall, Stéphanie called the 140 sugar shacks still in operation (and not listed!) one by one. “I got pushed back a few times, especially by those who firmly believed that the 2021 season was going to take place. In the end, I convinced 75 of them.”

For the Ma cabane à la maison website, which was to have 70 transactional stores, Stéphanie approached Agence 404 , which believed in the project and agreed to deliver the site in less than two months, at cost price and with financing. Cascades agreed to finance them for the delivery boxes. Groupe Lacroix provided a free “starter kit” of containers to the participating sugar shacks, to help them get started. Montreal production company Soma produced a television ad for a fraction of the price, which Metro paid. Singer Nicolas Boulerice donated his song. And Stéphanie Laurin’s family sugar shack became the distribution centre! “Right now, at the Chalet des Érables, we can’t walk anymore!”

AN EXCEPTIONAL RESPONSE

Not only was everything delivered on time for the launch, but the team was even able to offer each customer who purchased a Ma cabane à la maison box a virtual show as a gift, to recall the atmosphere of cabins in cottages. Quebecers were there and showed their love on social media. In three weeks, 60,000 boxes were ordered. An encouraging figure, especially since there are four weeks of delivery left. “Ma cabane à la maison will allow the larger cabins to keep their heads above water, while for the smaller cabins, it could be even more profitable than the dining room experience!” enthuses Stéphanie Laurin.

“We took the tradition out of its slippers,” she illustrates. “The sugar shack runs through the veins of Quebecers. I think they realized that this culture, this tradition, belonged to them, no matter where it comes to life. I am convinced that the at-home experience will remain even after the sugar shacks open, allowing people to eat these meals several times during the season!”

The distribution of Ma cabane à la maison boxes in Metro grocery stores ends on April 18, but the transactional site will remain active afterward. “The cabins will offer seasonal menus,” announces Stéphanie Laurin.