About Us
Anderson's Maple Syrup, Inc. has been a family run and organized business for over 80 years. Steve Anderson is the
third generation Anderson to carry on the family tradition. Steve's grandfather Paul Anderson started the business
in the early 20's as just a little hobby to put some syrup on the table. When Norman Anderson, Steve's Father was
old enough to help out he and Paul started to make the business grow. They started on a single, once a year route
that took them through parts of Wisconsin and into Northern Minnesota. This once a year route was enough to sell
all the syrup they had made for the year. In the late 40's they both decided that there was a greater opportunity
to be had in the maple syrup business than in farming. They took a giant step, sold all their cows and jumped head
first into the maple syrup business. From the start they knew that this was a huge risk, but they worked hard and
built the business that thrives today, know as Anderson's Maple Syrup, Inc. Steve has been in charge with much
guidance from his father Norman since 1997, when he graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. Steve has
great plans just as his father and grandfather did, to make Anderson's Maple Syrup, Inc. the best company that it
can be. We are currently one of the largest distributors of maple syrup in the central part of the United States
and we are still growing.
Our products can be found in many local grocery stores all over the mid-west. Anderson's Maple Syrup is sold in most
of the larger chain grocery stores, but smaller stores also have access to it. We are always expanding our markets
so more stores are carrying our product all the time. If you don't see Anderson's Maple Syrup in your area ask for
it by name or order it directly from us.
Anderson's Maple Syrup is one of the largest Pure Maple Syrup Packaging facilities in the central part of the United
States. Even though that may sound impressive, Anderson's Maple Syrup has a very small staff. The bottling and
delivery of Anderson's Maple Syrup is mostly done by Steve Anderson and Fred Buchholz, the company's long time
employee and friend. Norman Anderson still plays an important role as mentor and basic over seeing of what is going
on with the company. Other help, such as paper work and other odds and ends are is provided by Steve's mother Janice
Anderson as well as his wife, Alison.
These pictures show some of what goes on in our sugar bush as well as how we bottle syrup and package Pure Maple
Syrup. Oh, and of course some great pictures from the past. Please sit back and enjoy this short slide show as it
flashes before you.
The Maple Syrup Story
History reveals several explanations for the discovery of maple syrup. The most widely accepted story is that of
how a family squabble turned into an important agricultural discovery. The story says an Indian squaw placed her
cooking pot under a maple tree as a subtle hint to her brave that she needed water from the spring to cook
a meal with. The brave, in a fit of anger, plunged his tomahawk deep into the maple tree to remind his squaw that
he was above such a womanly chore as fetching water. The next morning, as the story continues, the squaw found the
pot nearly full and proceeded to cook meat for a meal. What she thought was water cooking was actually sap from a
maple tree. After the meat was cooked they discovered the sweet flavor in the pan. She had made the first pot of
pure maple syrup. Other stories are reasonable and some not, but one fact that can not be denied is that pure maple
syrup is defiantly as American as Plymouth Rock or pumpkin pie and older than either.
The Indians regarded the sap of the maple tree as a direct gift from the Great Spirit. They welcomed the Mapleing
Season each year with a great thanksgiving celebration. Maple syrup and the direction to make it was among the first
gifts given to white settlers, who embraced the process of tapping the trees and making maple syrup. Maple syrup was
an important part of surviving the long, cold mid western winters for the Indians and settlers alike.
The maple syrup industry is located only in North America. Maple trees grow and thrive only in specific regions of
North America, specifically the areas from New England to Minnesota and the Canadian provinces that border on those
states. Some small maple forests may also be found as far south as Kentucky and Virginia. In short the maple industry
covers the northeast quarter of the North American continent. As a result, other regions know very little about the
difference between pure maple syrup and imitation maple syrup that is found side by side in the grocery stores today.
Always look at the ingredients. If there is none listed or if only pure maple syrup is listed then you have the best
sweetener nature has given us. If there are ingredients listed other than pure maple syrup, put it back! It is not
the pure maple syrup that is so great on your pancakes!
Color is an important factor in grading and classifying maple syrup. The top grade is Light Amber and is very pale in
color with a mild maple flavor. Most people who are not real maple syrup connoisseurs do not like this grade as much
as the next two grades. Medium Amber is a little darker in color than the light amber, but still has a mild flavor.
Dark Amber is, of course, a little darker yet, but is not so dark that you cannot see through it and is fairly light
compared to commercial. Dark and Medium Amber are the two most popular. They are flavorful, but not too over powering
like the commercial grade. Finally, commercial grade syrup is anything darker than dark amber. It has a very strong
flavor and is almost too dark to see though. It is great for cooking and for flavoring, but many feel it is too strong
a flavor for pancakes. Each of these grades of syrup are made the same way. The time of season the syrup was made or
the condition of the sap collected will cause these variations in grade. We, at Anderson's Maple Syrup, Inc., make sure
that our Grade A syrups are always between Medium and Dark Amber in color.
