U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs have forced iconic Canadian ice cream maker Chapman’s to adjust its operations, but the company doesn’t want customers to shoulder the financial burden.
The company, based in Markdale, Ont., said it’s now looking elsewhere for key ingredients for its products.
“We are actively looking internationally for alternative suppliers of ingredients that are unavailable within Canada,” said Ashley Chapman, the manufacturer’s chief operating officer, in a recent Instagram post on the company’s page.
“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.”
The company emphasized its commitment to being a Canadian-first company. Chapman called the tariffs “the greatest threat to our sovereignty since WWII,” adding that “the effects of Donald Trump’s threats are already being felt by most Canadians.”
Chapman is the son of David and Penny Chapman, who founded the company in 1973. According to the company’s website, the family-run business is the largest independent ice cream manufacturer in the country and uses “100 per cent Canadian dairy.”
“We will continue to reinforce Canadian-first policies within our operations because together we are stronger,” Chapman noted. “We will never be the 51st state!”
