Bec Soda Inc.
A maple-syrup-sweetened cola from Quebec.
Bec Soda Inc. produces Bec Cola, a carbonated soft drink sweetened with maple syrup. The beverage is primarily distributed in Canada, France, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Quick Facts
- Founded
- 2014
- Founders
- Olivier Dionne
- Gwendal Creuer
- Kevin Creuer
- Headquarters
- Rougemont, Quebec
- Key product
- Bec Cola
- First year sales
- 50,000 bottles
- Trademark registration date
- 26 March 2020
Facts from the source article.
History
In 2012, Olivier Dionne and brothers Gwendal and Kevin Creuer decided to create a soda without artificial ingredients after observing the chemical additives in other colas. Two years of research and development replaced chemical additives with natural ingredients, including a collaboration with the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers for maple syrup supply; the drink is 88% maple syrup. Bec Soda Inc. began production in August 2014 with $140,000 of the partners' own money. Bottling started two months later in Rougemont, Quebec. The company sold 50,000 bottles in its first year and 500,000 in the first half of 2016. Lime and cranberry variants launched in June 2016, with a 100,000-bottle production run pre-sold. In March 2020, Coca-Cola introduced a maple-based cola brand, threatening Bec Cola's leading position in that niche.
Activities
Bec Soda Inc. makes Bec Cola from filtered carbonated water, organic maple syrup, organic beet sugar, citric acid, organic caramel colour, and organic cola flavour. To produce half a million bottles, 20 tons of maple syrup are needed. By 2016, the company had 1,200 sales locations in Quebec and 1,000 across France, Belgium, and Switzerland, with additional sales in Ontario. Labels, once only in French, now also appear in English. Bec Cola continued to be sold in Canada in later years. Horizon Nature’s 2019 English catalogue listed Bec Soda, and a 2020–2021 grocery listing featured the maple syrup cola along with ginger-maple and tonic-maple versions. The BEC COLA trademark was registered in Canada on March 26, 2020, and expires on March 26, 2030. As of 2026, the original maple-syrup cola was still available from Canadian grocers like Metro.
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