Congratulations to EMC Member Jakeman’s Maple Products on their expansion plans!

Jakeman’s Maple Products has long been involved in maple syrup production with roots stretching back through five generations! Producing this wonderful iconically Canadian product for this family all started in 1876, when George and Betsy Anne Jakeman left Oxfordshire, England to settle their family in Oxford County, near Woodstock, Ontario. Local Native Canadians taught maple syrup making techniques to the Jakeman family from maple tree sap collection in early spring, to boiling it down over an open wood fire until it was a syrupy golden brown.

In 1919, Ernest Jakeman, purchased his first evaporator, setting it in a crude shelter with no roof. Several years later, a fire in 1969, forced the abandonment of the original sugar shanty site and in the year following, they enlarged the operation, building a new sugar shanty and purchasing a new oil-fired evaporator. A few years later, they moved to the Sweaburg General Store (built in 1855) and today that building now functions as their maple gift shop, antique museum and pancake house.

Bob and Mary Jakeman and family, the fourth generation, continued the tradition of production of the finest maple syrup in Ontario. The business continued to grow and uses newer equipment to grade, blend and bottle than in the past but the traditional methods are still very much used to this day.

Now with the fifth generation at the lead and with Bob and Mary’s guidance and experience, Devin and Chad Jakeman are looking forward to continue innovating with the goal to be a world leader in maple syrup and maple related products.