On April 2, President Trump announced a sweeping set of tariffs on all imports to the United States.
Many countries will face "baseline" tariff of 10%, which goes into effect on April 5, including the UK, Singapore, Australia, Argentina, and more.
Custom tariffs will be levied against countries that President Trump dubbed "worst offenders" for their unfair trade practices, and these will go into effect on April 9. These custom tariffs include:
- European Union: 20%
- China: 54%
- Thailand: 36%
- Japan: 24%
- And more
Notably, Mexico and Canada avoided any additional tariffs (President Trump previously levied 25% tariffs on the countries, with exceptions for certain goods).
Imported spirits, wines, and food will be affected by these tariffs, and it remains to be seen the full effect these tariffs will have on the hospitality industry. (For a closer look at what could be on the horizon, check out our recent article, The Effects of Tariffs on the Bar & Restaurant Industry.)
Here's what associations, institutes, and others had to say about the new tariffs.
National Restaurant Association
President & CEO Michelle Korsmo released this statement about the imposition of new reciprocal tariffs with U.S. trading partners:
"Applying new tariffs at this scale will create change and disruption that restaurant operators will have to navigate to keep their restaurants open. The biggest concerns for restaurant operators—from community restaurants to national brands—are that tariffs will hike food and packaging costs and add uncertainty to managing availability, while pushing prices up for consumers.
"Restaurant operators know consumers are very sensitive to costs and have kept menu price increases to 30%, while their food costs have gone up 40% in the last five years.
“Restaurant operators rely on a stable supply of fresh ingredients year-round to provide the menu items their customers want and expect. Many restaurant operators source as many domestic ingredients as they can, but it’s simply not possible for U.S. farmers and ranchers to produce the volumes needed to support consumer demand.
"During this time of change, we’ll provide our members of all sizes with economic research to support their decision making and convene supply chain experts across the industry to share efforts for the best outcomes for restaurant consumers and the business viability of restaurants.
"The National Restaurant Association will also continue to share with the White House the real-life challenges these changes present for restaurant operators and ask to have food and beverages exempted from these tariffs.”
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States
President and CEO Chris Swonger released this statement shortly after the new tariffs announcement:
“We urge President Trump to liberate the U.S. spirits sector from these tariff disputes by negotiating deals that get us back to fair and reciprocal zero-for-zero tariffs for spirits products. The U.S. spirits sector has been the model of success for fair and reciprocal trade for decades. During the time that we had zero-for-zero tariffs with 51 countries, our industry flourished, benefitting U.S. distillers, farmers and the wider hospitality industry. A return to zero-for-zero tariffs with our key trading partners will enable the 3,100 distillers across the United States to partake in the limitless growth opportunities that exporting has to offer. We recognize that President Trump is working to secure fair and reciprocal trade and stand ready to work with the administration to untangle the spirits industry from the recent trade disputes so we can resume zero-for-zero trade with our major trading partners.”
Wine Institute
President and CEO Robert P. Koch had this to say in response to the new reciprocal tariffs:
"The wine sector brings people together, drives economic value and reflects the hard work and heritage of families and farmers across the country. Today’s announcement of new tariffs will only make it harder for American wineries to regain access to Canada, by far our most important export market. In early March, Canada cleared its shelves of all U.S. wine and continues to block its sale. As this dispute drags on, it is creating economic instability at a time when the industry is already under significant pressure. This isn’t just about trade. It’s about people, livelihoods and an agricultural success story built over generations. When our industry is disrupted, the impact reaches far beyond the winery — affecting farmworkers, distributors, small businesses, restaurants and entire communities across the country.”
Elenteny Imports
CEO Alexi Cashen released this statement shortly after President Trump's tariffs announcement:
"We eagerly await the official publication of the scope of tariffs across countries on the Federal Register, and we will continue to publish up to date information in this weekly newsletter. We’ve secured multiple Bonded Warehouse options as a strategy for cash flow savings."
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