‘There’s a shift towards buying local’: Canadian brewery on tariffs

[Pelican Press 0]

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‘There’s a shift towards buying local’: ********* brewery on tariffs

STORY: :: March 4, 2025

:: Port Coquitlam, Canada

:: A ********* brewery is ‘buying local’

as Trump’s tariffs take effect

:: Phil Smith, Co-owner and head brewer, Tinhouse Brewing Company

“What we’re finding from our short term experience with – you know, it has only been two months since the new president took, took office – what we’re finding is there is a shift towards buying *********, buying local, supporting local businesses. We’re seeing an increase in, we’re seeing an increase in business, we’re seeing new faces. We’re seeing new people coming in and drinking our beer.”

“The biggest one that’s going to affect us is aluminum. And Canada is one of the top aluminum producers in the world, but we produce raw aluminum and we don’t roll it in Canada. We don’t make the cans in Canada. So we were forced to get them from places like the United States. And in this case, we’ll just shift to the ******** market. That’s the other source for cans.”

“We’ve had a lot of American customers through our doors over the years that come in and enjoy our beers. I suspect we’ll lose a substantial amount of that business. If it’s made up for by locals staying local and buying local, then maybe it will net out. I suspect in the end, all of this is going to be a net loss for everybody: Small business, big business, the consumer. Yeah, it’s the unfortunate part of a trade war.”

Smith explained to Reuters that 80 percent of its beers are locally sourced, but when they’re brewing a ******* lager, one of his favorites, they will import the necessary materials from Germany.

Aluminum, a top raw export from Canada, was previously imported from the US. Not any more.

Tinhouse Brewing opened to the public in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic, and although they weathered the storm it was a struggle, according to Smith. While he doesn’t expect the tariffs will shut down their brewery, Smith is concerned about the company’s bottom line.

“We’ve had a lot of American customers through our doors over the years and come in and enjoy our beers. I suspect we’ll lose a substantial amount of that business.”

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#shift #buying #local #********* #brewery #tariffs

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