(Montreal) Some of Hollywood’s best actors and directors will receive a treat made exclusively in Quebec to celebrate their Oscar victories — or to sweeten the bitter taste of their defeat.
Sagar, a fine, chewy sugar derived from maple sap produced in the province, is among dozens of luxury gifts that selected top actors and directors will receive from Los Angeles marketing agency Distinctive Assets.
Although not affiliated with the awards show, the company’s lavish “Everyone Wins” gift bags have become a curiosity of the annual Oscars fanfare, successfully generating buzz media and inspiring countless evaluations in the tabloids.
In a February press release, Distinctive Assets suggested the U.S. dollar value of the bags was in the six figures.
The agency’s founder, Lash Fary, serves as arbiter of gifts. He boasts on social networks his power to choose both the content and the recipients of the coveted packages.
This year, the Sagar Experience from Quebec maple syrup producer Érablière F. Carrier found itself on its radar. Now, the likes of Danielle Brooks, America Ferrera and Mark Ruffalo are expected to get a sample of the product worth around $1,300 CAD, confirmed Samuel Busque of Orion Suppliers, the company behind the Sagar Experience marketing campaign .
He explained that the idea behind the sweet product was to create a luxury item with international appeal rooted in Quebec history and tradition.
“We still see that in Quebec, we do not use our exoticism and our products enough to explain and show the rest of the world how exclusive we are and what kind of luxury products we can offer,” said Mr. Busque in an interview.
The Sagar Experience isn’t the kind of sugar that Carey Mulligan or Ryan Gosling can just put in their morning coffee. Mr. Busque described it as a dish in itself with a cotton-like texture and a slight hint of maple. It is indeed a “complete experience,” he promised.
In addition to the Oscars gift bags, the product is the focus of chef-led workshops for guests at the Fairmont Château Frontenac hotel in Quebec City this month. An online store for the Sagar Experience is slowly rolling out, Busque said. The first item sold there — “Sweet Ritual,” a box set identical to the celebrity samples — appeared Saturday evening. Mr Busque said even more expensive bundles including accessories such as hand-painted wooden boxes would be available soon.
For now, though, Francis Carrier, owner of Érablière F. Carrier, is simply proud that his product from rural Beauce has made it to Hollywood.
“It’s wonderful,” he said Saturday in a telephone interview. “This is the best start we can have for the marketing of our product, which is truly out of the ordinary compared to all other maple products. We are very proud to be at the Oscars precisely for this reason. »