Maverick Distillery founder Craig speaks with CBC about buying local, the changing tariff landscape, and what sudden trade disruptions mean for independent Canadian producers.

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming CBC back to Maverick Distillery in Oakville for a conversation with our founder, Craig, about an issue affecting businesses across the country: the growing impact of tariffs and import restrictions on Canadian producers.

For many people, trade policy can feel distant or abstract. For independent businesses, however, a new tariff or import ban can have immediate consequences—affecting confirmed orders, distributor relationships, inventory planning, staffing and long-term growth.

A Significant Threat to Local Business

During the interview, Craig explained that new restrictions on Canadian imports, including most alcohol products, could result in a significant loss of revenue for Maverick Distillery.

The restrictions are expected to take effect on September 29. That leaves Canadian producers with only a few weeks to understand the rules, assess their exposure and attempt to respond. For Maverick, the change means existing purchase orders for U.S. distributors and brand owners may no longer be fulfilled as planned.

These are not hypothetical opportunities or early-stage discussions. They are established business relationships and purchase orders that producers have invested time, capital and labour to secure.

“These are real orders from established partners. When the rules change this quickly, businesses like ours are left with products we can no longer deliver and very little time to find another path forward.” — Craig, Founder of Maverick Distillery

Losing access to that business does more than reduce short-term revenue. It can interrupt growth plans, weaken distribution networks and create uncertainty that lasts well beyond the initial policy change. As Craig shared with CBC, the concern is that this disruption could cause parts of the business to stagnate for the next several years.

Three Weeks Is Not Enough Time to Adapt

One of the most difficult aspects of the situation is the limited notice provided to affected businesses.

“Three weeks is simply not enough time for a business to adjust to a change of this scale. You cannot replace a market, redirect inventory and rebuild a sales pipeline overnight.” — Craig

A three-week window is not enough time to easily redirect finished inventory, replace a major market or rebuild a sales pipeline. Producers must also determine what happens to products already manufactured for specific customers, packaging created for export markets and inventory tied to outstanding purchase orders.

Rapid changes of this scale leave business owners facing difficult questions without clear answers. Can products be redirected to another market? Will existing agreements be honoured? How should companies handle inventory that can no longer reach its intended customer? And how can a business plan responsibly when trade conditions may continue to change?

The Pressure Extends Beyond the Beverage Industry

The challenges facing Canadian distillers are part of a much broader trade environment.

Canadian counter-tariffs and new U.S. tariffs are affecting businesses across multiple sectors. Industries that rely on materials such as aluminum are facing especially significant pressure, with some tariffs reportedly reaching 50%. Companies caught between measures imposed on both sides of the border are seeing costs rise beyond what their margins can absorb.

Some Canadian business owners are now considering whether moving operations to the United States is the only practical way to preserve access to customers. While earlier discussions suggested relatively few businesses wanted to relocate, sustained tariff pressure can change that calculation quickly.

When tariffs exceed a product’s profit margin, the issue is no longer simply higher pricing. Entire markets can become financially unsustainable.

“When the cost of a tariff is greater than the margin on a product, that market stops being viable. At that point, the question is not how much more to charge—it is whether you can continue selling there at all.” — Craig

Why Buying Local Matters

This is why conversations about buying local matter now more than ever.

Choosing Canadian-made products helps support the people, skills and infrastructure behind them. It keeps more economic activity within our communities and gives independent producers greater resilience when international markets become unpredictable.

Buying local cannot replace every lost export order, and it is not a complete solution to complex trade challenges. But consumer and retailer support can make a meaningful difference while Canadian businesses work to adapt.

At Maverick Distillery, we remain proud to produce our spirits and ready-to-drink products in Oakville. We are grateful to CBC for taking the time to visit our distillery and help bring attention to the real-world impact these decisions have on local businesses.

The months ahead may bring more uncertainty, but our commitment remains the same: to make great Canadian products, support our local community and continue building a business that can endure changing conditions.

Support Local

You can support Maverick Distillery by shopping online at maverickdirect.com or visiting our distillery store in Oakville.

Every local purchase supports Canadian production, Canadian jobs and the future of independent businesses like ours.