Quebec maple syrup the star of the show at the Hiroshima Botanical Garden in
Japan

LONGUEUIL, QC, Oct 1 /CNW Telbec/ - Quebec maple syrup continues to make waves in Japan! From September 18 to December 23, an exhibition called "The Attraction of Maple" at the Hiroshima Botanical Garden, organized by the directors of the Garden, is featuring Quebec's liquid gold. On the menu: education and degustation!

Using images and objects, the exhibit explains the process of the sugar run and how maple sap is transformed into maple products. Visitors learn the four colours and grades of syrup, some tips for identifying 100% pure maple syrup, nutritional information, the culture of sugaring time in Quebec, some ways to use maple in everyday life and some suggestions for cooking with maple syrup, in Quebec and around the world. The experience would not be complete without a little sampling of the different grades of maple syrup!

What is the Hiroshima Botanical Garden?

The Hiroshima Botanical Garden is a 17.6 hectare garden located in Hiroshima. Established in 1976, it works to preserve rare species of plants through seed exchange programs with 200 other institutions in more than 34 countries. The main attraction is a 21 metre high conservatory that covers some 2,186 m² and contains 1,000 different tropical plants. A total of more than 15,000 plants grow there. The garden welcomes over 210,000 guests every year.

FPAQ activities in Japan

"Ever since the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers (FPAQ) began promoting maple syrup in Japan in 2004, maple has had a strong presence both on the consumer market and in the agri-food industry. Users have adopted it for its unique flavour, its nutritional and antioxidant properties and its all-natural goodness. We are very proud to see a multi-month exhibition devoted entirely to Quebec maple products. This is a beautiful way to recognize the love devoted to our product," says Serge Beaulieu, president of the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers.

Earlier this year, our very own maple was also featured at DisneySea, a Walt Disney Company property. The event: a Maple Festival that was part of their "Spring Carnival" lineup. This exceptional partnership was a first for the company, considering the site's official sponsors. The visibility gained by maple's involvement with DisneySea attracted the attention of the television channel BS-TBS. A film crew from the station came to do a story on the Maple Gourmet Road. BS-TBS has an audience of 27.7 million. These activities benefited from the support of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the AgriMarketing Program.

About the FPAQ

The Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers was founded in 1966 with the mission of defending and promoting the economic, social and moral interests of its 7,400 maple businesses, all working together to collectively market their products. The quality of their work and their products has made Quebec the producer of close to 80% of today's global maple syrup output.

/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of the media/

For further information:

Johannie Coiteux
Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers
Phone: [phone] ext. 8609
[email protected]