Congressman Peter Welch is asking seven supermarket chains to shelve real Vermont maple syrup apart from a brand that’s not the real thing.
Last year, Welch complained after Log Cabin released an "all natural" table syrup with ingredients such as caramel color, xanthan gum – a natural thickener – and 4 percent maple. Pinnacle Foods, which makes the syrup, said it would get rid of the caramel coloring.
Welch said Saturday that syrup is still packed in brown plastic jugs nearly identical to jugs used by Vermont maple syrup producers, despite repeated correspondence between the company, his office and state officials. He says real Vermont maple syrup is a product of dedicated farmers.
The letter went to Wal-Mart, Kroger, Costco, Safeway, Supervalu, Hannaford and Price Chopper.