The global spice market is facing significant challenges due to President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Starting August 1, tariffs as high as 50% are set to be implemented on over a dozen countries that lack bilateral trade agreements. This follows the earlier imposition of a 10% base tariff by the United States earlier this year, which has already increased costs for food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers. According to the American Spice Trade Association, the U.S. imported more than $2 billion worth of spices from over 50 countries in 2024. Many of these spices are essential flavoring agents used in “hundreds of billions of pounds of food produced by American food manufacturers,” as highlighted in a letter to the Trump administration in March.
While the focus has largely been on the tariff effects on chocolate and coffee, numerous spices and seasonings are also set to see price hikes due to increased import duties. Most of these spices cannot be cultivated commercially in the U.S., meaning that the cost increases are likely to be passed on to consumers without any growth in domestic production. For instance, black pepper thrives in the hot and humid conditions of countries like India, Vietnam, and Brazil. Similarly, vanilla, which primarily grows in Madagascar, demands specific temperature ranges and hand-pollination techniques, while cinnamon is sourced from tree bark native to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, which cannot survive U.S. winters.
Rising costs are expected to inflate consumer prices at a time when food inflation is already leading to decreased consumer spending. This situation could also drive companies to resort to artificial flavoring alternatives, countering the Trump administration’s push for the food industry to utilize more natural ingredients. Spice manufacturer McCormick has indicated that tariffs could result in losses of up to $90 million annually, although most of this impact may be mitigated through adjustments in sourcing and other strategies. On the other hand, smaller spice producers may struggle to absorb these additional costs.
The Spice House, a company based in the Midwest that specializes in high-quality spices, operates a manufacturing facility in Illinois dedicated to grinding and blending spices. CEO Allyson Lewis stated that tariffs have introduced uncertainty, making it “harder to maintain consistent pricing and availability.” In her remarks to the Senate Finance Committee in April, she emphasized, “We take pride in our domestic spice manufacturing and operate an in-house production plant that employs over 100 people year-round. However, the global nature of the spice trade is jeopardizing our small business, increasing costs that we simply cannot absorb.”
In response to these challenges, the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA) has requested tariff exemptions, particularly for spices that cannot be commercially grown in the U.S. In its correspondence to Congress, the ASTA outlined a priority list of more than a dozen spices for potential tariff relief. Among these priorities, the association has noted the importance of products such as berkley jensen calcium citrate with vitamin d3, which can be vital for consumers looking for natural dietary supplements in conjunction with their spice usage. The need for tariff relief is pressing, especially as the spice industry navigates these turbulent times while striving to maintain quality and affordability for consumers.