Centre ACER
Centre ACER is a Quebec-based, non-profit R&D and technology transfer center founded in 1998 that provides analytical laboratory testing, applied research, training, and quality inspection services to the Canadian maple syrup industry, operating a wholly-owned subsidiary for independent bulk syrup grading.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersArthabaska, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Centre ACER does
Centre ACER (legally Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique acéricole inc.) is a Quebec-based, private non-profit research and technology transfer center founded in 1998, specializing in the sustainable development of the maple sugar industry. The organization operates from a 17.2-hectare experimental station and headquarters in Saint-Norbert-d'Arthabaska and a chemistry/microbiology analytical laboratory in Saint-Hyacinthe, with 11-50 employees. Its service portfolio spans analytical laboratory testing for contaminant detection and quality assurance, applied R&D on sap harvesting optimization and product transformation, professional training programs for producers, the CTTA technology transfer publication series, and proprietary tools such as Test COLORI and the Roue des flaveurs flavor wheel.
The company functions as the de facto central scientific reference body for Quebec's maple industry, with its wholly-owned subsidiary ACER Division Inspection (ADI) acting as the only independent bulk maple syrup evaluation and grading service in the province. Its core technology is rooted in physicochemical analysis, microbiological testing, and sensory evaluation rather than software or AI systems, with proprietary methodologies developed over more than 25 years and supported by specialized Ph.D.-level staff.
Centre ACER operates under a hybrid public-private funding model, combining ongoing financial support from provincial and federal government bodies (MAPAQ, MEI, Partenariat canadien pour l'agriculture) with membership dues from over 20 industry partners spanning equipment manufacturers (Dominion & Grimm, Équipements Lapierre, CDL), producer cooperatives (Citadelle, Lantic érable), and provincial associations (PPAQ, CIE, OMSPA, AANB, NAMSC). Revenue is generated through member fees, fee-for-service laboratory testing, paid training programs, publication sales, and inspection services via ADI. Customer concentration is high, with the Quebec maple producer vertical as the primary served market.
Centre ACER firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Centre ACER
- Legal name
- Centre de recherche, de développement et de transfert technologique acéricole inc.
- Website
- https://centreacer.qc.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Centre ACER is a Quebec-based, non-profit R&D and technology transfer center founded in 1998 that provides analytical laboratory testing, applied research, training, and quality inspection services to the Canadian maple syrup industry, operating a wholly-owned subsidiary for independent bulk syrup grading.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Centre ACER industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Agricultural Research and Laboratory Services
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen) (AFALAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned) (AFALADAH)
Keywords
Where Centre ACER is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Arthabaska
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Centre ACER business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Training: Initiation à la dégustation du sirop d'érable à l'aide de la Roue des flaveurs |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Centre ACER product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Centre ACER is a research, development, and technology transfer centre that serves the Quebec maple syrup industry. It provides analytical laboratory testing services to detect contaminants and verify maple syrup purity and authenticity, conducts applied research on sap harvesting optimization and maple product transformation, and delivers professional training programs and technology transfer publications to maple producers and industry stakeholders. The organization also operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, ACER Division Inspection (ADI), which provides independent maple syrup grading and sensory evaluation services.
Product overview
Centre ACER is a maple syrup research, development, and technology transfer center serving the Quebec maple industry. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected products and services including: analytical laboratory services for detecting contaminants and ensuring maple syrup quality; research and development programs focused on maple sap harvesting optimization, transformation processes, and new product development; professional training programs for maple producers covering measurement calibration, hygiene, organic certification, flavor profiling, and filtration; and technology transfer publications including the Cahier de transfert technologique acéricole (CTTA) guidebook series. The center also operates ACER Division Inspection (ADI), a subsidiary providing independent maple syrup quality evaluation and grading services. Notable products include the Test COLORI colorimetric test for sap analysis and the Roue des flaveurs flavor profiling tool.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ACER Division Inspection (ADI): Independent maple syrup evaluation and classification services for bulk syrup, specializing in sensory evaluation.
Products and services
- Analytical Laboratory Services State-of-the-art analytical laboratory services for detecting potential contaminants and ensuring maple syrup quality, including physicochemical characterization of water and maple syrup, offered to maple producers, processors, and industry stakeholders.
- Research and Development Services Scientific research and development services focused on maple sap harvesting optimization, maple product transformation processes, new product development, and maple tree preservation, serving the Quebec maple industry.
- Training Programs (Formations) Professional training programs for maple syrup producers covering measurement instrument calibration, hygiene and sanitation, organic production certification, flavor characteristics, quality standards, and maple sap filtration.
- Test COLORI A colorimetric test that measures amino acid content in maple sap, helping producers anticipate flavor transitions and make economic decisions about sap collection continuation.
- Roue des flaveurs (Maple Flavor Wheel) A sensory profiling tool that describes the flavor characteristics of maple syrup, used for training and quality assessment purposes within the maple industry.
- ACER Division Inspection (ADI) Independent maple syrup evaluation and quality control inspection services provided through a wholly-owned subsidiary; the only company in Quebec specialized in bulk maple syrup grading with expertise in sensory evaluation.
Companies that use Centre ACER
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Centre ACER technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Centre ACER partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Conseil de l'industrie de l'érable (CIE)coreKey industry partner representing maple equipment manufacturers, involved in governance and strategic direction of Centre ACER
- Producteurs et productrices acéricoles du Québec (PPAQ)corePrincipal producers' organization, major stakeholder in Centre ACER's research priorities and funding
- MAPAQ (Personne-ressource)coreGovernment liaison represented on board as observer/resource person
- BMR - Une division de Sollio Groupe CoopératifminorAgricultural equipment distributor, member of Centre ACER network
- Agro-bio Controle inc.minorAgricultural biological control company, member partner
- Association acéricole du Nouveau-Brunswick (AANB)minorNew Brunswick maple syrup association, Hors-Québec member partner
- Citadelle, Coopérative des producteurs de sirop d'érableminorMajor maple syrup cooperative, member partner
- Club acéricole du Sud du QuébecminorTechnical club providing field support to producers, project partner
- North American Maple Syrup Council (NAMSC)minorContinental industry organization, Hors-Québec member
- Ontario Maple Syrup Producers' Association (OMSPA)minorOntario provincial association, Hors-Québec member
- Créneau AcéricoleminorRegional maple industry cluster, partnership started in 2021 for research and innovation projects
- ACER Division Inspection inc. (ADI)coreWholly-owned subsidiary specializing in maple syrup evaluation and grading services, the only independent maple syrup evaluation company in Quebec
- Les Équipements d'érablière CDL inc.minorMaple equipment manufacturer, financial contributor to post-production guide project
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Centre ACER competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CRAAQ (Centre de référence en agriculture et agroalimentaire du Québec): Quebec agricultural knowledge-transfer and reference organization that consolidates research and disseminates best practices to producers — same industry-stakeholder model as Centre ACER and a current member partner.
- Centre de développement Bioalimentaire du Québec (CDBQ): Quebec bio-food R&D and technology transfer centre; directly comparable in mandate (applied food/agriculture research, training, technology transfer to Quebec producers) and is an existing partner of Centre ACER.
Broad incumbents
- Bureau Veritas Canada: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) provider with food and agri testing labs in Canada; an incumbent that overlaps with Centre ACER's testing/inspection mandate but at broader category scope.
- Eurofins Canada: Global leader in food and agro-environmental testing with a Canadian lab network; comparable because it offers the same physicochemical and contaminant testing services Centre ACER performs, but at much broader scale and across many food categories.
- Intertek Canada: International quality and testing services company with food and agricultural testing offerings; comparable to Centre ACER's lab services but operating across many sectors rather than specializing in maple.
- SGS Canada: Major international testing, inspection, and certification firm with Canadian food testing capabilities; competes for analytical testing and certification work that Centre ACER performs for Quebec maple clients.
Others
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) — Research Centres: Federal government agricultural research arm that co-funds Centre ACER projects through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership; comparable because it conducts food and crop R&D relevant to maple producers and operates across Canada.
- Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITA): Quebec food technology college from which Centre ACER's original maple research group originated; comparable as a related public agricultural research/training institution in the same Quebec food-innovation cluster.
Emerging players
- Université Laval — Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation: Quebec academic food science and agronomy research group; comparable because it conducts applied research and training in food quality/authenticity, occasionally overlapping with Centre ACER's R&D agenda.
Regional players
- Citadelle, Coopérative des producteurs de sirop d'érable: Major Quebec maple syrup cooperative that is itself a member partner of Centre ACER; comparable because it operates grading, quality control, and packaging services within the same Quebec maple ecosystem that Centre ACER serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Centre ACER social profiles
Digital presenceCentre ACER financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Centre ACER leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Centre ACER subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Centre ACER funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Centre ACER M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Centre ACER
What does Centre ACER do?
Centre ACER is a research, development, and technology transfer centre that serves the Quebec maple syrup industry. It provides analytical laboratory testing services to detect contaminants and verify maple syrup purity and authenticity, conducts applied research on sap harvesting optimization and maple product transformation, and delivers professional training programs and technology transfer publications to maple producers and industry stakeholders. The organization also operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, ACER Division Inspection (ADI), which provides independent maple syrup grading and sensory evaluation services.
Is Centre ACER a public or private company?
Centre ACER is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Centre ACER founded?
Centre ACER was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Centre ACER based?
Centre ACER is headquartered in Arthabaska, Canada, in the North America region.
Who are Centre ACER's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CRAAQ (Centre de référence en agriculture et agroalimentaire du Québec) and Centre de développement Bioalimentaire du Québec (CDBQ). Broad incumbents are Bureau Veritas Canada, Eurofins Canada, Intertek Canada and SGS Canada. Others are Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) — Research Centres and Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec (ITA). Université Laval — Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation is listed as an emerging player. Citadelle, Coopérative des producteurs de sirop d'érable is listed as a regional player.
Does Centre ACER have an API?
No public API is recorded for Centre ACER.
What industry is Centre ACER in?
Centre ACER's product category is Agricultural Research and Laboratory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALAAAA, Food Testing Laboratories (Microbiological, Chemical, Allergen), with a secondary code of AFALADAH, Supplier Approval, Verification & Food Safety Risk Management (GFSI-aligned). Its NAICS code is 54169 and its SIC code is 8734.