A sweet business

    Though Spring Break Maple and Honey has been in business 12 years, new changes are keeping the business stirring with excitement, in May they purchased Smith’s Maple Products, a maple candy business from Skowhegan.
    “We have increased our presence in the wholesale market with pure maple candy going throughout the state of Maine,”said owner Kristi Brannen. “We will continue to make our candies in small batches to give our customers the freshest product with a long stable shelf life.”
    The Brannens also received a maple equipment dealership with Leader Evaporator Company from Swanton Vt.
    With a growing business, Brannen, along with husband Kevin, find themselves busy all year long.    
    In the spring, the Brannens’ work begins with tapping over 3,000 trees collecting sap and turning it into maple syrup. The Brannens have complemented their business with the addition of making honey, too.
    “We provide sugarhouse and sugar bush tours during the spring,” said Brannen, “and beekeeping tours during the summer.”
    They also operate the Spring Break Gift Shop year round, specializing in MAINE made products.
    “We have hand-painted signs, quilted items, handmade pocketbooks and tote bags, three styles of Maine candles, wood carvings, soy lotions, goats milk soap and lotions, hand-painted old sap buckets, doll cradles, peg shelves, piggy banks, custom-made birdhouses, a new line of MAINE-made chocolates and much more.”
    The Brannens operate their Smyrna Mills business at 3315 U.S. Route 2, relying on one full time and one part time employee. The shop is open Wednesday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    For their business to thrive, Brannen said, ”community support and hard work” are key factors, but they don’t overlook the importance of customer service.
    “Customers want to feel as though you care about them and their needs,” she said. “We do care because without customers, we wouldn’t be in business.”
    For more information on Spring Break Maple and Honey check out their Web sites at www.mainemapleandhoney.com or www.smithsmapleproducts.com. To contact the business call 757-7373 or e-mail info@mainemapleandhoney.com.