and for the "Middle", distributors are the ones that makes the more money in all industries.
a lot of them start locally, expand in Usa, and finally, to reduced taxes to pay, they move south, attracted by grants to establish a canning or process plant.

Québec is a saturated market for Syrup; we are only 7M in population, and FPAQ is only the "commercial-industrial" part. You get also the very small producers, like me and so much others of 800-2000 taps that dont have any quotas, and sell their syrup "at the farm". (no stores)