Chapman’s Ice Cream is working to protect its production from U.S. tariffs.
The company posted a statement on its official Facebook page sharing that it would be working on finding more beneficial sourcing of its ingredients, while keeping costs stable for consumers and protecting employees’ jobs.
While the company has always used Canadian milk and cream in their ice cream treats, it was everything else that raised concern.
“We kind of realized that we were in a very vulnerable position,” said CEO Ashley Chapman. “After we made the announcement that we were holding prices, even though the tariffs were hitting us hard at that time, we decided ‘OK, let’s look at this, let’s figure this out, let’s talk to Canadian companies, let’s figure out who can make things that we don’t historically make in Canada.”
This meant that new sources had to be found for things like nuts, some fruit, and even the sugar cones that are part of some treats.
He shared that while the thought of finding new suppliers from outside the United States was going to be difficult, it has actually been easier than originally thought.
“We’ve been very busy in the last year an a half, and we’re at that point where things are starting to come in. Our new cones will start to be supplied to us by the end of this year. I’ve got almonds, I’ve got pecans, I’ve got cherries all [arriving] in the first or second quarter of next year. And we are insulating ourselves essentially, from Donald Trump and his unpredictability.”
In response to the initial tariffs announced by the American government, Canadian politicians have been doing their part to open inter-provincial trade, and finding new international trading partners.
Those trade talks, and the work done by the Chapman team, have led to new opportunities that were never previously dreamed of.
“If you had said to me in 2024 that I could get all of my almond supply from Australia — which is literally on the exact opposite side of the planet — for slightly cheaper than I could get from the United Stages, I would have said that you were crazy, and I never would have looked into it.”
Overall, the company said that 70% of its American ingredients will be converted to other suppliers by mid-2027.
“All of our switches have been cost-neutral or slightly, slightly better, which really blows my mind.”
Given the changes that the company has had to face with securing new suppliers, Chapman said that the company is forging ahead with is current expansion plans, particularly because of an investment from the Province of Ontario that was made almost a year ago.
Premier Doug Ford made an announcement that would provide $27 million towards the company’s $200 million expansion plans, which included the hiring of an additional 200 employees.
“The Ontario government and the federal government have been great in helping contribute to some of our projects,” said Chapman, giving his compliments to both the federal and provincial governments. “This trade war is not going to slow us down, because in the end, fundamentally, wholeheartedly, I believe that Canadian industry and the Canadian people are going to band together and do great things, and we’re going to defy all expectations. And we’re going to do better throughout this trade war than anyone gave us credit for before it started. We have good leadership in the provinces, and good leadership on the federal government level, and I just trying to do my part to provide good leadership on my level, the industrial level. The number one thing, for me, is to support Canadian and buy Canadian, and I cannot say that enough.”