Amish under pricing.

[Dennis H.]

Well it is starting here now.
The wife ran to a local Amish food store to get a few things and took a look at the maple syrup that they were selling.
They were selling a quart for $12.89. Man is that crazy. It wasn't even made locally. It was made by an Amish producer in Somerset, PA. You can figure out who is doing it.

I have no worries myself but it is funny how 2 years ago when i was in there last I saw the syrup being sold for over $15 but not it is WAY below my $14 I ask for a quart.

Just slows what kind people they can be .

[spud]

Well it is starting here now.
The wife ran to a local Amish food store to get a few things and took a look at the maple syrup that they were selling.
They were selling a quart for $12.89. Man is that crazy. It wasn't even made locally. It was made by an Amish producer in Somerset, PA. You can figure out who is doing it.

I have no worries myself but it is funny how 2 years ago when i was in there last I saw the syrup being sold for over $15 but not it is WAY below my $14 I ask for a quart.

Just slows what kind people they can be .

If you sold your car and truck and bought a horse and buggy then you could sell for $12.89 a quart and make money also. The Amish make great furniture so I'm sure their syrup is of great quality also.

Spud

[PerryW]

Maybe Spud but somebody was posting last year about the Amish setting the evaporator right in the cow barn.

I actually respect their lifestyle and (other than the religious stuff) have a lot in common with them.

[maple flats]

Don't worry about the price they charge.
In the past I have been priced anywhere from middle of the road to upper end of our local producers. I have never had a customer try to talk me down and I have a very good retail following. Most of my customers just tell me how good my syrup is. This is why we get return business.
For the record, I now sell qts @ $15. Within a few miles I have one producer who sold at $35/gal last year, I haven't heard what they get this year, but I still sell my product, and I get $45/gal this year. In 2008 I had a very small supply and I raised my price to $54/gal and I sold all of my grade A and B, out of 186 gal I sold 154 A and B (I got $49 for the B), and took 32 C to Bascom's, I had no carryover, and sold out before July 1.
Just make a good product and be proud of what you make, don't be concerned with those who don't know what their product is worth.
Every year I visit a Woodsman's show in August. At the show there is always 1 producer who sells gal. at $35. I have talked with him to point out his error, last year he sold qts @ $12.50. I tell him he could do better selling it all bulk and not buying jugs and paying booth rent to lose money. He does not listen and continues. Last year I actually bought a pint from him to sample his wares. It was good syrup, just too cheap. Also at the same show there are 2 others who sell syrup and they get $46 and $49/gal. They appear to do as good a business as the guy who under prices his syrup.
Don't try to compete with those who under value their syrup.

[PerryW]

I though my prices were low!

Last year, My prices last year were $48 G, $25 1/2G, $15 QT $8 PT and I was about the lowest around.

After this season, I raised them to $52 $28 $17 and $9 .

[Gary R]

There's a local ad for $32 a gal., bring your own container. You can't get that bulk around here and you have no delivery cost. Not a bad way of selling.

[Papa John's Sugar Shack]

Well I have to say some folks down the road from me sell a gal $32 , 1/2 $18 and a pint $8 for 2012 syrup.

[Dave Y]

There are some areas where syrup is under priced. I have been to somerset county and have seen a lot of cheap syrup. It is there loss. Dennis I know the producer you are speaking of and I have seen things I would not talk about in public.

[Russell Lampron]

I was selling mine for $45 gal and went up to $50 this year. It is my first price increase in 3 years. That was before the crappy season started too. The state wide average is $52.50 or something close to that. I figure that it is good to stay in line with the competition. I don't want to be the guy that undercuts everyone else just to make a sale. I don't have any problem selling my product anyway.

[Michael Greer]

If you can sell it at the higher price, do it. If you run out, buy some from the lower price guy and sell it for your price. Everybody's happy.

[sjdoyon]

i think a lot of Amish farmers still do it using buckets. Good on them if that's all they want for it.