Malcolm Jolley discovers an organic soda line from Quebec.
Olivier Dionne is a founder the CEO of Bec Soda, a Montreal-based company that leverages Quebec’s greatest natural resource: maple syrup. Bec sodas are certified organic, and come in three flavours: the original cola, lime and cranberry. Dionne and his bottles of pop were in Toronto recently as part of Rendez-Vous Gourmet Quebec à Toronto, a showcase of products from the province available here.
Dionne explained that Bec is the only soda in the market that is both sweetened with Maple sugar and made from entirely organic ingredients. In the past three years Bec has solidified its presence in Quebec, and exports to France, Belgium and Switzerland. Dionne has since secured distribution deals with Ontario supermarkets and is building his brand here.
Bec cola and sodas aren’t as sweet as most mainstream ones that use sugars made from cane or corn. Nor do they taste particularly of maple, it’s more like a light note on the finish. That makes them a lighter, refreshing drink and good mixers – the cranberry soda would, I think, make a fun Christmas cocktail. See more at Bec-Cola.com.
