CBS 17 by Sanika Bhargaw

The Trump administration’s tariffs are already starting to hit small businesses in central North Carolina.

Several business owners in Raleigh met with Rep. Deborah Ross Thursday to talk about the challenges they’re facing. They said the uncertainty is the worst part.

According to the business owners, some prices on food and supplies, such as aluminum, have already gone up a little, but it is hard to know what to expect.

“Right now, we’re just rolling with the punches,” said Les Stewart, co-owner of Trophy Brewing Company.

“We have seen increases come down related to tariffs for some elements,” he said. “3 to 5 percent, others 8 to 10 percent, but we just don’t know if that’s going to turn into 15, 20 percent at some point in time. Those are the numbers that are going to really drive us into an uncomfortable position.”

According to Stewart, that uncertainty makes planning a lot harder.

“We have to purchase our supplies for packaging well ahead of when we actually put the beer into the cans,” he said, but with changing tariffs, he said it is much harder to calculate prices several months out.

Cheetie Kumar, chef and owner of Middle Eastern restaurant Ajja said some ingredients she can source locally, but not everything.

“We’re not really seeing an end in sight or a plan,” Kumar said.

“Our spice pantry is probably bigger than most kitchens,” she said. “All of those spices come from either the Middle East or India.”

It is not just food Kumar is worried about. According to the restaurant owner, most kitchen equipment is made in China and even basic supplies like foil could be impacted.

“You might not think [a] 15 percent or 50 percent increase on foil is going to add up, but that’s just one example,” she said. “If tequila, wine, olive oil, limes, chocolate, coffee and all of these things that are just a part of our menu that nobody really is thinking is a big ticket item, but all of a sudden are big ticket items, that makes it almost impossible for us to plan for the future.”

Kumar and Stewart said they are worried they will have to raise prices, which could cause other problems.

“We have to hope the market can absorb that. We don’t know that it can,” Stewart said. “And if it can’t, all of a sudden, we’re sitting on a premium product that’s sitting on the shelves.”

Business owners like Stewart and Kumar said they just want some clarity so they can continue to plan for the future.

“We’re going to return to a nice, boring future where we know generally what things are going to cost in six, eight, 12 months,” Stewart said. “That’s really the best case scenario.”

Link to full article: https://www.cbs17.com/news/local-news/wake-county-news/tariff-uncertainty-impacting-small-business-owners-in-central-north-carolina/