Sun-Brite Foods CEO calls for removal of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on steel, aluminum

Sun-Brite Foods CEO and owner John Iacobelli warns the tariffs on aluminum products would not only threaten Canada’s agri-food industry, but also negatively impact the food security of everyday Canadians.

One of the world’s largest processors of tomatoes and the owner of brands like Unico and Primo, Sun-Brite Foods sells several canned food products. Iacobelli expects the price of canned food products to increase by $0.25 to $0.40 per can as a result of tariffs.

A Canadian-owned and operated company since 1973, Sun-Brite, which is based in Ruthven, Ont., buys cans from the U.S. due to limited Canadian supply.

“Forced to rely on American supplied cans, the cost of canned food products will significantly increase due to 25 per cent tariffs slapped on all raw steel and aluminum entering the U.S. This, combined with the Canadian government’s 25 per cent reciprocal tariff on aluminum cans coming back to Canada, will further drive manufacturer input cost up, which will ultimately be passed onto consumers,” said Iacobelli in a media statement.

“Sun-Brite is taking extraordinary steps to mitigate these costs but without support from the federal government to remove reciprocal tariffs or expedite approval for remission of tariffs, Canadian families will suffer,” he added while urging the federal government to reconsider their decision on reciprocal tariffs.

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