Oregon’s Beer and Wine Industries Struggle Amid New Tariffs
PORTLAND, Ore. — The recent 25% tariff on imported steel and aluminum has ignited frustration within Oregon’s beer, wine, and cider sectors, raising operational costs and stifling growth. Local businesses feel the impact significantly, especially with soaring prices for essential materials like cans, brewing equipment, and barley.
Aaron Sarnoff-Wood, co-founder of 2 Towns Cider in Corvallis, highlights the sharp increase in expenses for aluminum cans sourced from Canada, potentially costing his business hundreds of thousands annually. He expressed concern over the unpredictability this creates: “We thrive on stability, and the chaos makes it impossible for us to plan.”
Oregon wineries are similarly affected. In retaliation to U.S. tariffs, Canada has halted imports of American alcohol, disrupting Oregon’s wine exports—73,000 cases were sent to Canada in 2023, which now lie in limbo. Alex Sokol Blosser, president of Sokol Blosser Winery, lamented the loss of years of hard-earned Canadian market relationships and pointed to a downturn in domestic wine sales as further evidence of the sector’s struggles.
The ripple effects extend to small breweries like Leikam Brewing in Portland, where owner Sonia Marie Leikum worries that smaller businesses will face immediate price increases, unlike larger ones with long-term supplier contracts. She fears that once prices rise, they may permanently stay elevated, driven by profit motives.
As the beer and wine industries brace for continued challenges, business owners are hoping for a return to stability. Sarnoff-Wood expressed a desire for a return to “business as usual,” after navigating a tumultuous few years marked by inflation and pandemic repercussions.
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