Chapman’s Ice Cream to keep prices down regardless of tariff threats
Another Canadian company has taken steps to push back against President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on Canadian sovereignty and ongoing tariff threats against Canadian manufacturing.
Markland, Ontario-based Chapman’s Ice Cream, a family-owned ice cream maker that has been operating since 1973, took to Facebook and LinkedIn to reinforce its Canadian roots and to say that it will work to keep prices of its ice cream products – which are ubiquitous across Canadian grocery shelves and in convenience stores – from rising despite repeated tariff threats made by President Trump against Canada and its manufacturing base, including Canada’s dairy industry.
On Facebook, Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer, wrote that her family and the company, believing President Trump’s remarks towards Canada, his moves to impose tariffs on many goods produced by Canadian companies, the company decided that “we want to do our part to support Canadians. As a family, we have decided to absorb all immediate increases in our costs due to the Trump-tariffs for the rest of the year to maintain our prices.”
To further is effort to keep prices on its Chapman’s Ice Cream products down for Canadians, the company has started to seek out international and alternative suppliers of ingredients not available within Canada.
“We will continue to reinforce Canadian-first policies without our operations because together we are stronger. We will never be the 51st state!”
READ: Grocers stocking up on Canadian, international suppliers as shoppers avoid American
President Trump has recently set his ire on Canada’s dairy industry and has proposed to impose “reciprocal” tariffs on Canadian dairy, saying that it is in a response to what he claims is Canada’s 250% duty on U.S. dairy imports, although what is in his economic crosshairs is Canada’s supply management system, something he complained about in 2017, and continues to complain about.
David Wiens, president of Dairy Farmers of Canada, issued a statement regarding the announcement of tariffs on Canadian dairy entering the United States:
“During the renegotiation of CUSMA (USMCA), the United States secured substantial tariff-free access to the Canadian dairy market. As a result, the U.S. enjoys a significant dairy trade surplus with Canada, exporting $877.5 million CAD in dairy products while importing $357.9 million CAD in return. This increased U.S. access came at a direct cost to Canadian dairy farmers, reducing their market share and weakening the stability of Canada’s domestic dairy sector.
“Canada's dairy sector operates under a supply management system designed to meet our country's needs first, ensuring that key food commodities, including dairy, are made in Canada for Canadians. We call upon our federal and provincial governments to defend our economy and safeguard our national food security and sovereignty.”
