Cocoa and caffeine: Two of the Brazos Valley’s favorites face difficulties as tariff policies change

BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - On Wednesday, President Donald Trump paused some of the tariffs that went into effect on Liberation Day, leaving a 10% blanket tariff on most all goods imported from Mexico and Canada. Tariffs like these have impacted car dealerships, vineyards, and now, chocolate and coffee shops.

Polite Coffee in Bryan and Truman Chocolates in College Station said they have been working to adapt along with the changing tariff policies. They said they are ready to work for the products they’re passionate about.

“We’re going to make it through tariffs... Like, I’ll shop different prices. I’ll find different things. I mean, we have to grind our own cocoa, but whatever we do, we’ll do what we have to do,” explained Mitch Siegert, owner of Truman Chocolates.

The National Coffee Association says over 99% of the coffee Americans drink is imported. With blanket tariffs on imports, coffee shops like Polite Coffee in Bryan are projecting higher costs.

Polite Coffee imports its coffee from 70 countries across the world, mostly from Ethiopia, Guatemala, and Mexico.

As tariff policies change, Polite Coffee in Bryan said they're seeing those changes impact... — As tariff policies change, Polite Coffee in Bryan said they're seeing those changes impact their imports(KBTX)

“We got a big stock from Colombia and it’s a great coffee and I hope we get to keep it, but with the tariffs, we’re just trying to stay very flexible and bringing great coffee,” shared Barry Ivins, partner and co-owner at Polite Coffee. “We thought that Colombian coffee we bought was going to be a great price and coffee for us and knowing now, they could be 25% higher, it’s just-we don’t know. We’re trying to stay super flexible and really focus on bringing the best products here.”

As tariff prices are enacted and seemingly constantly changing, local businesses like Polite Coffee are trying to stay ahead of the curve, but another favorite sweet treat is facing similar problems.

Truman Chocolates in College Station says the 10% tariff on most countries is impacting the price of chocolate and how their business is balancing the checkbook.

Most all of the Cocoa beans used in chocolate production are grown abroad, and according to the United States Department of Agriculture, those imports are critical to meet the demand of chocolate lovers in America.

“Everything with chocolate is imported because cocoa beans, there aren’t very many, like I think they grow them maybe in Hawaii, but... there’s nowhere that’s not going to be affected by it,” added Siegert.

Businesses like Truman Chocolates and Polite Coffee say while they adapt business plans for the products they’re passionate about, they’re also working hard to stay positive.

“[We willll] keep changing coffees if we need to, to get great coffee at the best price you can,” furthered Ivins.