More maple syrup linked to producer Steve Bourdeau, involved in a falsified syrup scandal, is being removed from stores as it was discovered being sold in cans with altered labels hiding the name of Bourdeau’s company.
Recently, it was revealed that some of Bourdeau’s syrup was distributed in cans with stickers reading “le sirop Angela,” concealing Bourdeau’s company name, 9227-8712 Québec inc. Now, additional syrup from Bourdeau has been detected on shelves with a different sticker saying “L’Érabeille,” obscuring the company’s identity.
This development follows an investigation by Radio-Canada’s program Enquête, which had five cans of Bourdeau’s syrup tested at a provincial lab in Quebec responsible for certifying maple syrup. The tests revealed that syrup labeled as pure had been adulterated with 50 percent cane sugar.
Initially, Bourdeau suggested to Enquête that the cans containing the fake syrup might have originated from one of his out-of-province suppliers, affirming compliance with all relevant laws and regulations.
Bourdeau did not respond to Enquête’s inquiry regarding the “Angela” labels. Consumers alerted Enquête after discovering the actual name of Bourdeau’s company under the “L’Érabeille” sticker.
Pierre Alain, the owner of L’Érabeille, a food distribution company that acquired syrup from Bourdeau and supplied it to stores like Adonis, expressed dismay at the situation, emphasizing that individuals would go to extreme lengths for wealth.
Alain mentioned withdrawing the syrup labeled L’Érabeille from shelves following the initial publication of the fake syrup story, although some cans were still found in Adonis stores. Adonis confirmed the recall process was in progress.
Sylvain Desgranges, owner of Distributions JL, another food distribution company that procured syrup from Bourdeau and sold it with the “le sirop Angela” label, expressed regret and mentioned removing the affected syrup from circulation.
Luc Goulet, president of the Quebec Federation of Maple Syrup Producers (PPAQ), highlighted the impact of the scandal on the industry’s reputation, stressing that compliant producers were unfairly questioned due to the actions of a few.
Goulet explained that most Quebec producers sell syrup in bulk and undergo systematic testing, whereas a minority like Bourdeau can their own syrup and distribute it directly without systematic testing, leading to industry-wide repercussions.