Expert cites shipping as main reason for cheap maple syrup in Australia

A food expert has addressed the relative cheapness of Canadian maple syrup in Australia, compared to the country in which it was produced.

The much-loved, versatile sweetener was seen retailing in Australia for just $6 (approximately CAD$5.85), compared to CAD$6.50 in Canada. The slight pricing disparity was the subject of debate online, with some contributors puzzled that the syrup could be cheaper in a country thousands of miles away from where it was produced.

Now Sylvain Charlebois – Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab director – has explained the supply chain logistics that make the lower price possible in Australia.

Charlebois told Canada’s National Post:

“Australia can ship very efficiently on the water — water is the most efficient way to transport products. For example, if you want to sell maple syrup in Alberta or even Manitoba, you could actually be seeing higher prices because you have to put it on a truck, and trucking tends to be more expensive than shipping on water.”

Charlebois also hosts The Food Professor Podcast, a weekly discussion that focuses on the food, restaurant, and grocery industries.

Organic maple syrup originates from North America, most prominently in the Canadian province of Quebec, where around 90% of Canada’s maple syrup is produce. It was gradually introduced to Australia via general trade routes over the years. Imports of maple sugar and syrup into Australia reached approximately £21.81 million in 2025, according to a report from the Global Trade Algorithmic Intelligence Center.