Sugar Bush Supplies

What Sugar Bush Supplies does

Sugar Bush Supplies is a privately held, family-owned distributor of maple sugaring equipment founded in 1934 and currently operated by Rick and Mary Fogle from Mason, Michigan. The company supplies hobbyist and commercial maple syrup producers with evaporators, filtration systems, sap-collection tubing, and ancillary sugaring supplies, anchored by a multi-decade distribution relationship with Leader Evaporator — described as the only major U.S. manufacturer of maple evaporators — that has been in place since 1963. The business has historically operated as a regional specialty distributor but extends its reach through an annual printed catalog and a growing "Maple School" educational content library that supports customer acquisition beyond Michigan.

The company's revenue model is straightforward transactional distribution: catalog-driven inside sales, phone/online ordering, and walk-in traffic at the Mason location, with sales split across two distinct segments — small-scale hobbyists new to sugaring and established commercial producers. In 2026 the company introduced the SF-2 Sap Filtration device, its first proprietary branded product, signaling an incremental shift from pure third-party distribution toward higher-margin owned product. Vendor partnerships have also been expanded beyond Leader Evaporator to broaden the assortment.

Operationally, Sugar Bush Supplies is a sub-scale family business (1–10 employees) with no external funding, no disclosed AI or digital automation, and a heavy reliance on the institutional knowledge of its owners. The competitive position rests on category expertise, a near-exclusive OEM relationship, and 90+ years of brand continuity rather than scale, technology, or capital intensity. The business is structurally a niche lifestyle-and-agriculture distributor whose growth ceiling is bounded by the size of the U.S. maple sugaring market and seasonal demand cycles.

Name

Sugar Bush Supplies

Legal name

Sugar Bush Supplies Co.

Website

https://sugarbushsupplies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1934

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sugar Bush Supplies is a family-owned, Mason, Michigan-based distributor of maple sugaring equipment serving hobbyist and commercial syrup producers, anchored by its long-standing Leader Evaporator distribution relationship and a growing proprietary product line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maple Sugaring Equipment

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Maple sugaring equipment
• Sap collection supplies
• Evaporator distribution
• Tubing fittings
• Maple syrup production

Headquarters

HQ city

Mason

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Maple Equipment Sales: Sale of maple sugaring equipment including evaporators, tubing fittings, and related hardware. Sugar Bush Supplies is a distributor of Leader Evaporator products and has expanded to carry products from multiple vendors in the maple industry.
2. Maple Supplies Sales: Sale of consumable maple supplies and replacement parts to sugarmakers. Products are sold F.O.B. Mason, MI with pricing subject to change.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sugar Bush Supplies is a family-owned distributor of maple sugaring equipment and supplies operating since 1934 from Mason, Michigan. The company sells evaporators, tubing fittings, and sap processing equipment, and is the exclusive distributor of Leader Evaporator Co. products since 1963. Its lineup includes the new SF-2 Sap Filtration system for small-scale producers, plus an annual catalog of maple industry supplies sourced from multiple vendors.

Product overview

Sugar Bush Supplies is a family-owned equipment and supply distributor serving sugarmakers since 1934. The company offers a core portfolio centered on maple sugaring equipment, led by the new SF-2 Sap Filtration system for small-scale producers, complemented by an annual equipment and supply catalog featuring Leader Evaporator products and various tubing fittings. Educational resources through Maple School and technical guides like the Bricking an Arch tutorial support customers throughout their sugaring operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SF-2 Sap Filtration System A compact sap filtration system for small-scale and weekend sugarmakers. Runs on 120V power at 1.6 amps with flow rates up to 120 gallons per hour; clarifies sap before boiling to improve syrup quality, extend storage time, reduce foam, and ease evaporator cleaning.
• Leader Evaporator Equipment Commercial-grade sugaring evaporators and related equipment manufactured by Leader Evaporator Co. of St. Albans, Vermont, distributed exclusively by Sugar Bush Supplies. Includes the latest industry innovations and replacement equipment for commercial maple operations.
• Tubing Fittings Comprehensive range of tubing fittings for maple sap collection systems, including spiles, end line fittings, and mainline entrance fittings for various tubing configurations used in sap gathering networks.
• 2026 Equipment and Supply Catalog Annual printed and digital catalog (2026 edition) featuring the complete lineup of maple sugaring equipment, supplies, Leader Evaporator products, tubing fittings, and related accessories available from Sugar Bush Supplies.

Quantifiable outcome

• SF-2 provides up to 120 gallons per hour flow rate for sap clarification

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Leader Evaporator Co.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1963Sugar Bush Supplies has been a distributor for Leader Evaporator Co. since the company was formed in 1963. Leader Evaporator, located in St. Albans, Vermont, is the only major manufacturer of sugaring equipment in the U.S. Sugar Bush Supplies can convey customer needs directly to plant managers for equipment replacements or the latest innovations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bascom Maple Farms: New Hampshire-based maple equipment supplier and sugarhouse operation that sells sugaring equipment, tubing, and supplies. Comparable as a regional maple supply distributor serving similar customer segments.
• Smoky Lake Maple Products: US-based maple sugaring equipment supplier offering evaporators, finishing equipment, and supplies to hobbyist and small-commercial sugarmakers. Directly comparable product mix and customer base to Sugar Bush Supplies.
• Lapierre Equipment: Canadian-based manufacturer and supplier of maple sugaring equipment, including evaporators and tubing systems. Comparable to Sugar Bush Supplies in offering end-to-end equipment solutions to commercial and hobbyist sugarmakers.
• The Maple Guys: Online retailer specializing in maple sugaring equipment, tubing, and supplies for hobbyist and small-scale sugarmakers. Comparable e-commerce-driven approach to serving the same customer base.
• CDL Maple Equipment: A major Canadian maple equipment manufacturer and supplier offering evaporators, tubing, and reverse osmosis systems. CDL serves the same sugarmaker customers as Sugar Bush Supplies and is a leading competing equipment brand in North America.
• Maple Trader: US-based retailer offering maple sugaring equipment, supplies, and educational content to sugarmakers. Overlaps directly with Sugar Bush Supplies in product category and target customer.

Emerging players

• Hobby Maple: Specialty supplier focused on hobbyist and small-scale maple sugaring equipment. Comparable as a niche supplier serving the same small-scale segment Sugar Bush Supplies targets with its SF-2 product.

Broad incumbents

• Leader Evaporator Co. The manufacturer of maple sugaring equipment that Sugar Bush Supplies has exclusively distributed since 1963. Leader is the upstream partner and the only major US equipment manufacturer in the space, making it the most directly comparable entity by product overlap.

Others

• Proctor Maple Research Center (UVM): University of Vermont research center dedicated to maple science and sugaring best practices, listed by Sugar Bush Supplies as a resource. Ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor, but shapes buyer expectations and standards.
• Cornell Maple Program: University-based research and extension program referenced by Sugar Bush Supplies as a resource. Not a commercial peer, but an adjacent ecosystem participant that influences equipment standards and customer education in the maple industry.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SugarBushSupplies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sugar-bush-supplies-co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Sugar Bush Supplies