Chapman’s Ice Cream faces tough choices as U.S. tariffs bite

Chapman’s Ice Cream company is entangled in the U.S.-Canada trade war, forced to find new suppliers after three decades.

A second round of U.S. tariffs could have serious financial consequences for Chapman’s Ice Cream, forcing the Canadian company to make difficult business decisions.

Ashley Chapman, vice president of Chapman’s Ice Cream in Markdale, Ont., said the tariffs introduced under U.S. President Donald Trump are already taking a toll. The company relies on long-standing partnerships with American suppliers for key ingredients —relationships built over more than three decades.

“One of the big ones is cherries, though that one, actually, we’ve had a little bit of good news today. We found a cherry supplier in Italy,” Chapman said.

Now, Chapman’s is being forced to cut ties, something the company’s vice president said was “super devastating.”

Regardless of whether the tariffs remain in place or are lifted in the future, Chapman said they must act immediately to protect the business. The company is now actively searching for new suppliers, including international options, for ingredients not available in Canada.

While the first round of tariffs had a relatively minor impact, Chapman said he is deeply concerned about what is coming next.

The company has taken a strong public stance against the tariffs. In a statement posted to the ice cream company’s Facebook page, Chapman emphasized the their commitment to Canada and their customers.

“As Canada faces the greatest threat to our sovereignty since WWII, the effects of Donald Trump’s threats are already being felt by most Canadians. As a proud Canadian-owned and operated company, 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.”

It finished, “We will continue to reinforce Canadian-first policies within our operations because together we are stronger. We will never be the 51st state!”