VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS ASSOCIATION INC

What VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS ASSOCIATION INC does

The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, Inc. (VMSMA) is a 501(c)(5) non-profit agricultural trade association founded in 1893 and headquartered in Westford, Vermont. It represents more than 1,000 maple producers across the state and serves as the official voice of the Vermont maple industry, an industry that produces over 50% of all U.S. maple syrup (3.091 million gallons in 2026 across 8.2 million taps). VMSMA's core function is industry advocacy, branding protection, certification, education, and event programming for sugar makers, hospitality partners, schools, and consumer enthusiasts.

VMSMA operates a tiered membership model with four primary products: Producer Membership (for sugar makers), Friends of Vermont Maple (non-voting enthusiast tier), Maple Industry Partner Membership (restaurants, bakeries, breweries, retailers), and complimentary School Membership. Monetized member benefits include industry news, grant and resource access, a 25% discount on the VMSMA store and Maple News subscription, member-only containers, and event programming. The association also runs certification programs (Sugarhouse Certification, Certified Vermont Maple), a Sugarhouse Grant Program, the annual Maple Awards (Sugar Maker of the Year, Maple Person of the Year, Sumner Williams Lifetime Achievement), and signature events including the March Maple Open House Weekend (80+ participating sugarhouses) and the December Vermont Maple Conference Week. It channels federal and state funding (e.g., a 2022 $600,000 USDA earmark via Sen. Leahy) to producer technology adoption.

The association does not develop proprietary technology; its technology footprint is conventional — Shopify for e-commerce/payments, Google Analytics for site measurement, Google Maps Platform APIs for the Vermont Maple Map directory, and NeonCRM for member administration. GTM is event-driven and community-led: VMSMA drives engagement through the Open House Weekend, Conference Week, the Maple in Every School education initiative, content marketing (recipes, Maple 101, producer stories), an email newsletter, organic social (Facebook, Instagram), and a small number of marketing partnerships (notably a 2023 cross-promotion with Vermont Green FC). Revenue is generated almost entirely through annual membership dues across the four tiers, with no publicly disclosed pricing and no venture or equity capital involvement.

Name

VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS ASSOCIATION INC

Legal name

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, Inc.

Website

https://vermontmaple.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association is a 501(c)(5) non-profit trade association founded in 1893, representing over 1,000 Vermont maple producers through tiered memberships, certification, advocacy, education programs, and signature events such as Maple Open House Weekend.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Edible Sap, Syrups & Sweeteners (Maple, Birch) Tapping/Processing (AFAMAFAL)

Keywords

• Maple syrup association
• Agricultural trade membership
• Maple producer advocacy
• Sugarhouse certification
• Maple industry grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Westford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association, Inc. is a 501(c)5 non-profit organization. Revenue is generated through membership dues from producers, Friends of Vermont Maple, Maple Industry Partners, and schools. Membership benefits include industry news, access to grants and resources, discounted subscriptions, member-only containers, and savings on supplies and apparel.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association (VMSMA) is a 501(c)(5) non-profit agricultural trade association founded in 1893 that represents over 1,000 Vermont maple producers. The organization delivers value through tiered membership programs, sugarhouse certification, grant programs, industry advocacy, consumer education, and signature events such as the annual Maple Open House Weekend and Vermont Maple Conference Week.

Product overview

The Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association (VMSMA), founded in 1893, is a 501(c)(5) non-profit agricultural organization representing over 1,000 maple producers. The organization operates a membership-based structure offering multiple membership tiers: Producer Membership, Friends of Vermont Maple (non-voting), Maple Industry Partner Membership, and School Membership. Core programs include the Annual Maple Awards, Maple Open House Weekend event, Sugarhouse Certification, Sugarhouse Grant Program, and the Maple in Every School educational initiative. The Association provides maple funding resources connecting producers to USDA and state funding opportunities. The organization also maintains a Vermont Maple Recipe Collection as a content resource. Vermont sugar makers produce over 3 million gallons annually, representing about half of U.S. maple production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Producer Membership

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Vermont Green FCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 April 2023Partnership announced April 4, 2023 between Vermont Green FC (a soccer club) and Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association. The partnership likely involves cross-promotion of Vermont maple products with the sports organization.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ohio Maple Producers Association: An Ohio-based association representing maple producers with events, education, and syrup contests. Direct peer as a similar state-level trade body promoting and protecting regional maple syrup.
• Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association: A Wisconsin-based association serving commercial and hobbyist maple producers through events, education, and advocacy. Comparable as another state-level organization advancing maple in a competing producing region.
• Massachusetts Maple Producers Association: A regional trade association for Massachusetts maple producers offering similar programming, including Maple Weekend events and producer education. Comparable as a state-level advocacy and promotion body serving the same end market.
• Maine Maple Producers Association: A state-level trade association representing Maine maple syrup producers. Direct peer because it operates the same membership, certification, education, and event-driven model for the second-largest U.S. maple state, competing for national brand attention.
• Connecticut Maple Syrup Producers Association: A state-level association for Connecticut maple producers focused on education, promotion, and producer support. Direct peer given overlapping membership-based services and mission to grow a regional maple industry.
• New York State Maple Producers Association: A New York-based association promoting and supporting the state's maple producers via events, education, and certification. Direct peer given parallel membership-based structure and overlapping producer services with VMSMA.

Broad incumbents

• North American Maple Syrup Council: An industry-wide coordinating body for maple producers and processors across the U.S. and Canada. Comparable as a broader industry umbrella organization that complements and partially overlaps with state-level associations like VMSMA.
• Maple Grove Farms of Vermont: A long-established Vermont-based maple syrup and pancake syrup producer. Relevant as an incumbent brand operating in the same Vermont maple category that VMSMA promotes and certifies.
• Butternut Mountain Farm: One of the largest U.S. maple syrup packers and suppliers, based in Vermont. Comparable because it is a major commercial player in the same Vermont maple ecosystem that VMSMA's members supply and represent.

Others

• Pure Maple Association: An industry association representing maple processors and packers, focused on standards and promotion. Adjacent peer as a related industry body whose members overlap with VMSMA's producer base but serve a different functional role in the value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vermont.maple
• Instagraminstagram.com/maplesyrupvermont
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vermont-maple-sugar-makers-association-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VERMONT MAPLE SUGAR MAKERS ASSOCIATION INC