Michele’s Syrup is a popular pancake syrup brand sold in grocery stores across North America. With its distinct logo of a woman in a chef’s hat, Michele’s Syrup has become a staple breakfast item in many households. But behind the sweet maple flavor lies an complex history and changing ownership that may surprise consumers.
The Origins of Michele’s Syrup
Michele’s Syrup was first created in 1924 by Michele Desjardins, a French Canadian immigrant living in Quebec. As the story goes, Michele began selling her homemade maple syrup at a local farmer’s market in her small town of Saint-Raymond. Her syrup quickly gained a reputation for its exceptionally rich maple flavor and smooth consistency. As demand grew, Michele established the Michele’s Syrup company and began distributing her syrup to stores across Quebec.
In the 1940s, Michele’s Syrup expanded its distribution network into Ontario and by the 1950s was being sold in major grocery store chains across Canada. The companyfocused on maintaining the homemade quality and taste of its syrup even as production scales increased. Michele’s portrait was featured on the logo, cementing her image as the friendly face of the company.
Continued Family Ownership
After Michele Desjardin’s death in 1956, the company remained in family hands, passing down to her children and grandchildren. Under the second generation of Desjardins family management, Michele’s Syrup saw further growth, becoming one of the top selling pancake syrup brands in Canada by the 1970s.
The third generation of Desjardins continued expanding distribution of Michele’s Syrup into the United States in the 1980s and 1990s. By the early 2000s, Michele’s Syrup could be found on supermarket shelves across North America. However, rising costs and international competition began to challenge the family-owned company.
Sale to American Brands
In 2007, the Desjardins family made the difficult decision to sell Michele’s Syrup to American Brands, a large U.S. food conglomerate. Though no longer family-owned, Michele’s Syrup stated its commitment to upholding founder Michele Desjardin’s original maple syrup recipes and standards under its new parent company.
Business under American Brands
American Brands initially ran Michele’s Syrup as an independent subsidiary, keeping operations based in Quebec. Unfortunately in 2009, the global recession led American Brands to make cuts across its subsidiaries. Michele’s Syrup saw its staff cut by 25% and marketing budget slashed.
These business impacts affected Michele’s Syrup’s previously steady growth. From 2010 – 2014, Michele’s Syrup struggled to maintain market share in the competitive pancake syrup industry. Under pressure from shareholders, American Brands increasingly cut corners when producing Michele’s Syrup, moving away from Michele Desjardin’s original maple syrup recipes.
Customer Dissatisfaction
Long-time customers of Michele’s Syrup began to notice a decline in product quality in the early 2010s. Complaints circulated about the syrup’s artificial maple taste and thin, watery consistency. Some customers even began referring to it as “Michele’s Flavored Corn Syrup” due to its high-fructose corn syrup content.
By 2015, customer complaints escalated, and Michele’s Syrup faced growing backlash from consumers who felt the brand no longer lived up to its former quality standards. Despite cost-cutting measures, market share dropped a further 10% that year. American Brands leadership became concerned the Michele’s Syrup brand was failing.
Recipe Changes
In 2016, in an effort to revive Michele’s Syrup’s reputation, American Brands reverted back to Michele Desjardin’s original maple syrup recipes for the product. They highlighted this return to Michele’s legacy with special “Original Recipe” packaging. American Brands also ramped up advertising spending for Michele’s Syrup by 30%.
This back-to-basics approach showed positive results. By the end of 2017, Michele’s Syrup sales had stabilized, and the brand began regaining customer trust. While no longer at its peak popularity, Michele’s Syrup appeared to be back on the right track under American Brands’ management.
Acquisition by Maple Groves
Despite Michele’s Syrup’s recovery, American Brands remained eager to offload the struggling brand. In 2018, American Brands sold Michele’s Syrup to Maple Groves, a rival maple syrup producer based in Vermont. Unlike American Brands, Maple Groves specialized exclusively in maple syrup and pancake mixes.
Maple Groves saw great potential in revitalizing the once-iconic Michele’s Syrup brand. They aimed to leverage Michele’s widespread brand recognition and retailer relationships, while bringing quality and consistency back to the products.
Focus on Quality
Since acquiring Michele’s Syrup in 2018, Maple Groves has focused on restoring the brand’s reputation for quality. All Michele’s Syrup is now produced using 100% pure maple syrup, with no artificial flavors or high-fructose corn syrup. Maple Groves also relocated Michele’s Syrup’s production back to its original facility in Quebec to enable greater oversight over manufacturing.
Rigorous quality testing procedures ensure consistency between batches. Customer reviews since 2018 indicate Maple Groves has successfully brought back the rich maple taste and thick, syrupy texture Michele’s Syrup was known for in its early days. The renewed commitment to quality has helped win back customer trust.
New Product Lines
Under Maple Groves, the Michele’s Syrup brand has also seen innovation with the introduction of new product lines. Recent additions include Michele’s Syrup Maple BBQ Sauce, Maple Flavored Oatmeal, and Maple Sweetened Baking Mixes. Maple Groves leverages the brand equity of Michele’s Syrup to offer consumers more maple options.
At the same time, Maple Groves is careful not to stray too far from Michele’s Syrup’s pancake syrup roots. Its new products aim to align with what customers love about the Michele’s brand – high quality, real maple taste. This provides a balance of tradition and innovation.
Michele’s Syrup Today
Today in 2023, Michele’s Syrup remains one of the top selling pancake syrup brands in North America. While no longer family-owned and operated, it has persevered through changes in ownership and hard times. Much of this enduring success comes from the power of its brand and association with founder Michele Desjardin’s original maple recipes.
Under its current owner Maple Groves, Michele’s Syrup appears to have rebounded as a trusted brand. Recent growth shows customers still have an appetite for Michele’s Syrup, especially when quality lives up to expectations. With continued care and oversight from Maple Groves, Michele’s Syrup is poised to continue spreading maple joy for years to come.
Michele’s Syrup Ownership Timeline
| 1924 | Founded by Michele Desjardins in Quebec |
| 1956 | Passed to Desjardins family after Michele’s death |
| 2007 | Sold to American Brands food conglomerate |
| 2018 | Acquired by Maple Groves |
| 2023 | Presently owned by Maple Groves |
The Future
While Michele’s Syrup has overcome past struggles with quality and competition, the brand faces new challenges ahead. Market trends show consumers becoming more health conscious, seeking out natural, low-sugar foods. Michele’s Syrup’s traditional full-sugar recipe may not align with emerging preferences.
At the same time, small-batch artisanal maple syrup producers are growing in popularity. Micheles’s Syrup risks being seen as overly mass-produced in comparison. However, the brand has proven resilient over its nearly 100 year history. With Maple Groves’ stewardship, Michele’s Syrup stands a strong chance of retaining its beloved spot on pancake tables for years to come.
