New Hampshire bakery owner says he's already been hit hard by tariffs

SALEM, N.H. — Some New Hampshire business owners say they're already feeling the impact of tariffs, with one bakery warning it might go out of business if prices continue to climb.

The owner of Chatila's Bakery & Ice Cream in Salem met Monday with U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-New Hampshire, and pleaded with her and other state and federal leaders to do something so he can afford to stay in business.

Mohammad Chatila said his sugar-free bakery relies heavily on products from Canada. He said that after President Donald Trump announced tariffs on some Canadian goods, the price of key ingredients, such as cocoa and flour, skyrocketed.

"When I came, this was the American dream, which is why we built it," Chatila said. "But now, you see it in front of your eyes. It's just melted, like the ice."

Chatila said he also saw a drop in the number of orders. The bakery's contracts with retailers in Canada make up 85% of his business, but they were canceled after the tariff announcement.

"You have no confidence. They have no trust. You're in limbo," Chatila said. "You don't know what to expect the next hour."

Shaheen said the tariffs are hurting small businesses like Chatila's.

"Nobody knows what that means," Shaheen said. "Nobody knows what the impact is going to be on businesses. And that adds to the undermining of orders and markets, and it creates a real challenge, particularly for small businesses who have more trouble being able to weather those kinds of hard times."

Trump said sweeping tariffs will go into effect on Wednesday, a day the White House has proclaimed "Liberation Day." But Chatila said it doesn't sound freeing.

"You want to bring everything back in-house, as they say. But not like this," he said. "Because now, you're creating so much enemies from the closest allies. Now, is that against you?"

Trump has previously said tariffs will encourage consumers to buy American-made goods. Chatila said something needs to change fast. He's asking state leaders to consider giving grants to businesses like his to get by until things can improve.