While thousands of British Columbians are feeling the impact of the ongoing trade war with the United States, some local companies say a growing “Buy Canadian” mentality is driving sales and opening new opportunities. At Coquitlam-based Cooler Co. Canada, CEO Dan Larsen says demand for the company’s yerba mate and kombucha beverages has surged. “I would say we’re up 25, 30 per cent,” Larsen said. Larsen credits much of that growth to Canadians actively seeking out domestic products, a trend he says has accelerated amid trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. The company has leaned into that sentiment, even producing a political-style marketing poster tied to the trade dispute. “I stay out of politics until it lands at my doorstep and it’s here now and we’ve all got to stand together with it,” Larsen said. He says grocery chains that had been difficult to break into for years are now reaching out, looking to add more Canadian products to their shelves. “I’ve had buyers tell me that they’ve never had a complaint at the store level, that there was a lot of American brands, and now they have people on a daily basis complaining that there’s American brands and that they want to see more Canadian,” he said. But Larsen argues Canadian products still need greater visibility in stores. “It’s not quite there yet. There’s still so much opportunity for Canadian brands,” he said. “Canadian brands need to be eye-level, in your face. If you can’t get rid of the American stuff, we should at least be dominating the category.” In Vancouver, Juice Truck co-owner Zach Berman says the current Buy Canadian movement feels stronger than previous waves of patriotic spending. “I think that was like warming the mood up of, kind of, more Canadian pride, more priority to support Canada, Canadian brands. So I think, you know, that stoked the fire. Now the fire is pretty hot,” he said. Not everyone is benefiting from the shift. According to Jairo Yunis, director of policy at the Business Council of B.C., industries such as forestry and manufacturing continue to face significant challenges from tariffs. “Around 11,000 employed people are attached to sectors that are now being hit by the U.S. 50-per-cent tariff,” Yunis said. He says thousands more are facing uncertainty connected to Canada’s counter-tariffs. Even so, business owners benefiting from a resurgence in Canadian pride hope the shift in consumer behaviour lasts long after the trade dispute subsides. “I think that’s becoming more of a core value of Canadians than it might have been before,” Berman said. “I think people are more intentional about it, so I’m optimistic that it’s here to stay.” Larsen agrees. “We need to just lean into it further and make it a lasting change,” he said.
