In the early 1920s, Quebec’s maple industry was in disarray. A powerful group of business interests controlled the vital wholesale market and offered producers a meager 4¢ or 5¢ a pound for their maple syrup—“take it or leave it.”
To resolve this dilemma, Quebec’s agriculture minister, the Honorable Jos.-Edmond Caron, instructed Cyrille Vaillancourt, head of the ministry’s apiculture and maple syrup department, to find a solution. Working in collaboration with J.-Arthur Paquet, manager of Coopérative Fédérée de Québec, Vaillancourt recruited 17 producers from Saint-Prosper, Saint-Zacharie, Sainte-Rose, Saint-Philibert, Saint-Benjamin, and Sainte-Aurélie to launch a cooperative in 1924 in order to test the viability of the concept.
1951 : In response to consumer preferences, one-gallon cans give way to 26-oz. containers, boosting syrup sales in the Canadian market.
1958 : The cooperative’s products are showcased at the Brussels World’s Fair, helping the Citadelle brand to gain greater recognition.
1964 : Citadelle and CAMP products are featured at the first International Food and Beverage Exhibition in Paris, a breakthrough for international exposure.
1967 : In April, Citadelle products are sold at the Ideal Show in England, triggering a surge in popularity for the cooperative’s products in the United Kingdom.
1969 : The Honorable Cyrille Vaillancourt, the cooperative’s founder and manager, dies on November 30 at age 77.
1971 : Federal government agencies purchase Citadelle gift boxes for distribution as gifts symbolizing Canada on official trips abroad.
1972 : The cooperative moves its head office to Plessisville from the Desjardins building in Lévis.
1975 : Representatives from the Canadian and U.S. maple syrup industries establish the International Maple Syrup Institute on February 20. The cooperative is a founding member.
1978 : In spring, a Japanese television crew arrives to shoot footage that is later shown on network TV in Tokyo. This very effective—and free—promotion allows Citadelle to introduce its products to Japan.
1987 : The International Maple Syrup Institute introduces a logo (see Our Accreditations) for genuine pure maple products. The cooperative, a founding member of the Institute, supports these initiatives to help genuine maple products gain traction in consumer markets.
1988 : To ensure consistently high-quality syrup, the cooperative has 24 stainless steel storage vats installed. In 1999, just over a decade later, 14 new vats are installed, giving the cooperative the largest maple syrup storage capacity in the world and enabling it to preserve the highly sought-after “fresh taste of springtime” year-round.
1990 : The cooperative receives kosher certification, helping to open up new international markets.
1992 : LES PRODUCTEURS DE SIROP D’ÉRABLE DU QUÉBEC joins the North American Maple Syrup Council and is recognized as the trade association representing Quebec’s maple industry.
1994 : LES PRODUCTEURS DE SIROP D’ÉRABLE DU QUÉBEC and the New Brunswick Maple Syrup Producers Cooperative pool their efforts to establish Les Produits Restigouche Inc. in St. Quentin, New Brunswick.
1995 : The cooperative and a producers group from Auclair in the Témiscouata region form Les Produits de l’érable du Témis Inc.
1996 : Cooperative members attending the June 12 general meeting agree to adopt “Citadelle Maple Syrup Producers’ Cooperative” as a new legal name and identity.
CITADELLE becomes the first maple products entity to attain ISO 9002:1994 certification, affirming the cooperative’s position as an industry leader.
After product shelf life research delivers conclusive results, the cooperative introduces a plastic bottle that meets the needs of consumers, particularly those in the institutional segment.
1997 : On March 1 CITADELLE launches a third subsidiary with the acquisition of Les Produits d’érable Beaudry Inc., in the Eastern Townships.
In December, it acquires Produits Tradition Internationale Inc.. This company, located in Sacré-Cœur-de-Marie in the Beauce region, is well established in several niche markets that the cooperative has not yet penetrated.
1998 : During the International Maple Syrup Institute’s annual conference, held in Titusville, Pennsylvania, CITADELLE’s Camp product line receives the 1998 Medal of Excellence. This top award, attesting to the know-how of the cooperative and its members, helps CITADELLE further differentiate its products in international markets. The cooperative captures this honor for six consecutive years, 1998 to 2003.
1999 : On May 18, the first new Canadian Maple Delights Gourmet Bistro and Shoppe opens its doors in Vancouver, British Columbia, offering such mouthwatering fare as maple salad dressings, chicken, ham, blueberry maple syrup, GRAND MARNIER® and maple syrup, and a host of other items.
CITADELLE also concludes a major acquisition with the purchase of the Shady Maple Farms Ltd. production facilities in La Guadeloupe, in the Beauce region. In 2004, it acquires all the company’s stock and brands, including its Shady Maple Farms and Maple Gold names.