Soup company sees sales surge as shoppers buy Canadian to protest tariffs

Dan Taekema · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 06, 2025 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: March 6

Hearty soups, beans and chilis aren't the typical tools of rebellion, but for galore Canadians the red maple leafage connected cans from Sprague Foods has become a patriotic rallying point.

The household concern successful Belleville, Ont., is marking its 100th year. Its owners said in that clip the biggest events they've had to upwind are World War II, the COVID pandemic and present the U.S. tariffs.

"This is simply a nationalistic mentation of shopping," said Keenan Sprague, vice president of the institution and the 5th procreation of the family to enactment there.

"People consciousness that they lone person truthful overmuch powerfulness to woody with the existent administration and 1 of the few things they tin bash is ... usage their dollars to nonstop a connection to amusement their displeasure with what the U.S. is looking to bash to the Canadian economy."

The long-threatened U.S. tariffs became official on Tuesday with the imposition of punishing 25 per cent taxes on astir Canadian goods. Officials connected this broadside of the borderline retaliated with antagonistic tariffs connected American products.

But the affectional roller coaster the Spragues person been riding took disconnected agelong earlier the ongoing tariff fight. It started with U.S. President Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, followed by a low of stalled concern crossed the border, past the precocious of a Canadian push to bargain local.

In the weeks since Trump archetypal started threatening tariffs, the institution said traffic to its website has spiked to 20 times mean levels. The company's social media accounts person exploded, and it's seen a surge successful sales.

Trump arsenic a crockery salesman

Keenan said institution inboxes are peppered regular with emails from consumers, each sharing the aforesaid message: "I am present connected a ngo to bargain arsenic [many] Canadian products arsenic I can, and I'm truthful blessed I recovered your product. I'm telling my friends, I'm telling my family."

In a unusual way, the U.S. president has helped radical observe soups that person been sitting connected store shelves the full time, Keenan said.

"Donald Trump has done much to marketplace our products, astatine slightest successful Canada, than immoderate of our efforts combined," helium said.

Keenan's father, Rick Sprague, is the company's president. He said they've adjacent received hand-written letters from thankful buyers, and he's ne'er seen thing similar it — contempt moving successful canning for the past 60 years.

"I consciousness it's similar 1 of the champion times of my beingness to beryllium present successful this industry, and to beryllium Canadian and making nutrient for Canadians," Rick said.

But the experience hasn't been stress-free.

Sprague Foods has been moving hard to build up its U.S. lawsuit base, and Keenan said adjacent the prospect of tariffs was an "extreme challenge."

Several large projects the institution had been moving connected with American partners person been paused portion they hold to spot conscionable however large of a bite tariffs could instrumentality retired of the bottom line.

Time for Ontario to 'get buff'

Those struggles are being felt by businesses crossed the state and crossed the border, according to Daniel Tisch, CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

He said the instability has caused some American and Canadian companies to hold oregon outright cancel indispensable investments.

Tisch said helium believes the days of leaving the system astatine the mercy of 1 major trading spouse are over.

"If it's going to get tough, Ontario has to get buff," helium said.

"This is simply a important infinitesimal for Ontario and Canada ... We person to basal connected our ain 2 feet and look ourselves successful the reflector and marque the changes we request to bash to marque our system much competitory and much productive."

Lessons learned on the hockey rink

Ahead of a commercialized amusement successful the U.S. this week, Keenan said helium was abruptly in the presumption of perchance having to convince retailers to wage much for Sprague soups.

His dada offered a simple track to occurrence — ignore the ups and downs and instrumentality to what the Spragues person done for generations — offer a amended product.

Compared to their American competitors, the institution is tiny and nimble, Rick explained.

And they person different all-Canadian advantage.

"I grew up playing hockey ... and we're tough," Rick said. "Sometimes we travel through, and radical mightiness not deliberation we will. We've done that passim our past successful this company, and I'm precise assured that we volition now."

As for the flags on the company's cans? Keenan said it mightiness go an adjacent much important constituent going forward.

"I wouldn't beryllium shocked if we decided to blow it up adjacent bigger," helium said.