While drinking tree sap might not seem immediately appealing, Canadian producers are hoping it becomes the next big soft drink globally.
Most people are familiar with maple syrup, made by boiling down maple tree sap into a thick, sweet syrup commonly drizzled over pancakes. However, fewer know that the sap itself, known as maple water, can be consumed directly. This clear liquid contains only 2% natural sugars, giving it a mildly sweet taste.
A growing number of Canadian producers are now bottling and selling maple water, filtering and pasteurizing it to eliminate microbes. “People feel like they’re drinking the wild Canadian forest,” says Yannick Leclerc of Maple3, a Quebec City-based maple water producer.
Supporters highlight its natural properties and hope it will compete with coconut water, which forms naturally inside coconuts. Given that Canada produces over 80% of the world’s maple syrup—90% of it from Quebec—it’s no surprise that the emerging maple water industry is also centered there.
Leclerc, whose company was founded in 2013, claims Maple3 is one of the industry’s pioneers. “Nobody previously thought about keeping the sap for hydration rather than boiling it into syrup,” he says.
Since 2021, Maple3 has doubled its annual profits, with sales expanding across Canada and into 12 other countries, including France, Japan, Singapore, and South Korea. Currently, 75% of its revenue comes from international markets, offering still and sparkling maple water, along with flavored fizzy varieties. “It’s more than just a local product at this point,” Leclerc adds.
Industry growth projections are optimistic. A recent report estimated global maple water sales at $506 million in 2024, with expectations to rise to $2.6 billion by 2033. However, it remains far behind coconut water, which saw $7.7 billion in global sales in 2023 and is projected to reach $22.9 billion by 2029. Meanwhile, the maple syrup market was valued at $1.7 billion last year.
The drink’s rising popularity is linked to perceived health benefits. Beth Czerwony, a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic, explains that tree filtration enriches the sap with antioxidants, potentially aiding performance and workout recovery. However, a 2019 study found that maple water was not significantly better than regular water for rehydration.
Jeremy Kinsella, owner of The Soda Pop Bros in Windsor, Ontario, believes mainstream success will require major backing. “It will take a larger soda manufacturer for it to really catch on,” he says. He also notes that price is a barrier: “If someone sees a can of Coke for a dollar and maple water for three, they might try it a few times but return to Coke.”
John Tomory, co-owner of Pefferlaw Creek Farms in Uxbridge, Ontario, agrees that marketing is key. His farm, which has been producing maple syrup for nearly a decade, has also been supplying sap to Sap Sucker, a Canadian brand selling sparkling maple water with fruit flavors like lime, grapefruit, lemon, and orange.
Tomory believes flavored and carbonated varieties are the way forward. “A lot of people have tried selling plain sap, but it hasn’t caught on,” he says. “Carbonating it and adding fruit flavors makes it more interesting. That’s the real innovation.”
Leclerc echoes this sentiment, stating that sparkling maple water could become the more popular version. “It has benefits that regular sparkling water doesn’t—like a more interesting taste—without the unhealthy ingredients in traditional sodas,” he says.
