Owner of local tea business feeling impact of tariffs on China

MILLVALE, Pa. — In April, the Trump Administration paused many tariffs, but not for China, the largest importer of tea.

“We stock between 150 teas and probably 50 to 80 herbs, maybe more,” said Danielle Spinola, the owner of Abeille Voyante Tea Co., located in Millvale, Pennsylvania. Recently, she received an email from a supplier advising her to stock up now because tariffs will cause prices to rise.

When Channel News asked Spinola whether she could realistically stock up to avoid the price surge, she responded, “There is just no way to feasibly stockpile all of that. Just no way.” Spinola explained to Channel 11 News that stocking up isn’t a viable option for small business owners like herself.

“We don’t have a lot of storage space, and we also lack the capital to make that sort of stockpile. Additionally, if a recession hits and I stock up on all this inventory, I will just end up sitting on it, and it will go stale. That’s not good for my clientele,” she said.

While the Trump administration paused many tariffs in April, there currently remains a 10% universal tariff on all countries and a 90-day pause on additional reciprocal tariffs. However, China, a major tea importer to the U.S., is an exception; on April 9, the Trump Administration imposed a 145% reciprocal tariff against China.

China is one of the largest tea suppliers, and it’s where Spinola sources most of her specialty blends. “I’ll go from $40 a pound to $100 a pound, which will significantly impact pricing,” she explained.

Already, Spinola has been forced to discontinue certain items after one supplier announced its closure due to tariffs. “We’ve lost our Irish Breakfast, Earl Grey, our Breakfast Blend, and one of our oolongs. We’ve just lost a whole lot of the items they did well,” she shared.

Replacing these items is costly and time-consuming, presenting a significant challenge. “It’s the Chinese teas that will suffer, and it stinks because China is where tea started,” said Spinola.

She noted that even something as seemingly simple as tea prices could have a broader impact on her community. “It impacts me, it impacts all the people I employ, and it affects the community work we do. All of that will be impacted if we are not here,” she said.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW