'Worse than tariff': Jack Daniel's maker reacts after Canada pulls US liquor of the shelves

Newly elected US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods, following this Canada also announced a massive counter-tariff package valued at $155 billion

By  Storyboard18| Mar 6, 2025 12:22 PM
Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman's CEO Lawson Whiting said that Canada accounted for only 1 percent of their total sales

Jack Daniel's maker Brown-Forman's CEO Lawson Whiting has called Canada's ban on the liquor giant "worse than tariff". Several of Canada's provinces have taken the US liquor off store shelves as part of retaliatory measures against Donald Trump's tariff announcement.

Newly elected US President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods, following this Canada also announced a massive counter-tariff package valued at $155 billion.

The Canadian provinces also blocked the sales of American liquor in response to tariffs.

Whiting said, "I mean, that's worse than the tariff, because it's literally taking your sales away, completely removing our products from the shelves".

However, he said Canada accounted for only 1 percent of their total sales and that the company could withstand the hit.

Brown-Forman has been reeling from a slowdown in demand led by the US, Canada, and Europe.

The company has taken cost-cutting measures, including workforce reduction.

Notably, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has been ordered to cease the sale of nearly $1 billion worth of US alcohol annually.

British Columbia's Premier David Eby has also ordered removal of Jack Daniels and Tito’s Vodka from shelves.

Similarly, Premier Wab Kinew of Manitoba and Premier Tim Houston of Nova Scotia have also pulled out US-based liquor in February 2025.

First Published onMar 6, 2025 12:21 PM

SPOTLIGHT

How it WorksMIB’s Ashwini Vaishnaw at Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave: Govt working for fair compensation for media houses

At the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spotlighted the critical role of traditional media in an evolving digital landscape. He emphasized that such gatherings can aid the govt in formulating more effective policies for a balanced and sustainable media ecosystem.

Read More

IN PHOTOS: At Global Pioneers Summit, visionaries chart the future of business and creativity

From the chiefs of Nestle, Diageo, Colgate, PepsiCo, Zetwerk and CRED to AI visionaries, marketing mavens, top creators, ad legends and leading global agencies' CEOs, the brightest minds converged at the Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit for an action-packed day of meaningful dialogues on creativity, commerce and culture.