With cruise ship season ramping up in Saint John, some maple syrup vendors at the Saint John City Market are having a hard time keeping the sweet, sticky stuff on store shelves.
Tourist Richard Vanvactor says Maritime syrup tastes like nothing they have across the border.
“We’re in the Midwest and no, we don’t have anything near that good,” he says.
Shop owner Dave Forestell says maple syrup is the one product many tourists can’t seem to get enough of.
“Maple syrup is iconically Canadian, so besides Anne of Green Gables and the RCMP, it’s pretty popular with Americans as far as what they should take home for souvenirs,” says Forestell.
Between cruise ship passengers and people attending conferences in the city, September was a busy month for Forestell, and maple syrup in particular has been flying off his shelves.
“Even some of the market workers pitched in to help put labels on stuff and get it out there. Everything was being bought as we hauled it out of the cases, so it was really a lot of fun,” he says.
Tourist Sheryl Waite says maple syrup is the perfect gift to take home to her friends and family in Chicago.
“Just has more maple flavour to it. It tastes more natural than the super sweet stuff you get at the store,” says Waite.
“It was tasty, not so sweet, but a great medium flavour,” agrees cruise ship passenger Sandra Amix.
While tapping season isn’t until spring, Forestell says he will continue to stock up on the Canadian staple tourists can’t seem to get enough of.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Ashley Dunbar
