Canadian Brands To Add To Your Grocery List: Best Alternatives To American Brands
Canadian brand alternatives to popular American brands - how to support Canadian businesses during the ongoing trade war
This article is part of our Made In Canada series where we highlight Canadian brands and businesses
Photos shot by: Parole Dure
LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY MARCH 21
A new poll suggests that Canadians are feeling increasingly alarmed by the continuous tariffs imposed by the U.S., President Donald Trump, and the American economic aggression.
The Leger poll sampled over 1,500 Canadian adults from March 14-16 reveals that 41% of respondents see those three factors as the most pressing threats Canada is currently facing — a 13-point spike since the March 3 survey.
The survey reflects a general sense of wariness that Canadians are feeling as a recession looms over the country. According to a new analysis by Desjardins Group, Canada could soon face a recession that would extend throughout the rest of the year as Trump’s tariff war upends economies and trade globally.
With trade tensions heating up, Canadian consumers are caught in the crossfire of Trump’s tariffs, which will effect on Tuesday. He’s said that Canadians can expect a levy of 25% on Canadian imports—Canadian energy also faces a 10% tariff.
To counter the U.S. tariffs, Canada will begin imposing 25% tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods coming into Canada—these tariffs will then be applied to another $125 billion worth of American imports in three weeks’ time.
In light of Trump’s tariffs, many Canadians are considering a simple form of protest—boycotting American brands and opting to keep their dollars closer to home by supporting Canadian brands. By choosing to buy from Canadian businesses consumers can redirect their money to homegrown businesses which help strengthen the local economy while sending a message about these unfair trade policies.
We rounded up some Canadian alternatives to American brands that you can buy amid the U.S. trade war. Keep this list handy for the next time you head to the grocery store:
| Category | Brands to Avoid | Canadian Alternatives To Try |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy Products | ||
| Cheese | Kraft | Saputo, Black Diamond, Armstrong |
| Cream Cheese | Philadelphia | Lactantia, Tre Stelle, Agropur |
| Yogurt | Yoplait | Astro, Olympic, Liberté |
| Butter | Land O'Lakes | Lactantia, Natrel, Gay Lea |
| Soft Drinks & Beverages | ||
| Cola | Coca-Cola, Pepsi | Canada Dry, PC Cola, Great Value (Walmart) |
| Juice | Tropicana | Oasis, SunRype, Arthur's |
| Sports Drinks | Gatorade, Powerade | BioSteel (Canadian sports drink) |
| Energy Drinks | Monster Energy | Benny, Grizzly Energy, Guru |
| Bottled Coffee Drinks | Starbucks | Second Cup ready-to-drink beverages |
| Tea | Yogi Tea | Davids Tea, King Cole Tea, Pluck Tea, Raven & Hummingbird |
| Packaged & Snack Foods | ||
| Chips | Lay's | Old Dutch, Covered Bridge, Hardbite |
| Tortilla Chips | Doritos, Cheetos | Neal Brothers, Hardbite |
| Cereal | Kellogg's | Nature's Path, Barbara's, Quaker (some Canadian-made) |
| Cookies/Crackers | Nabisco | Dare, Leclerc, Voortman |
| Popcorn | Smartfood | NoochPOP!, Uncle Bob's Popcorn, The Canadian Popcorn Company |
| Soups | Campbell's | Habitant (by Loblaws), President's Choice soups |
| Ketchup/Sauces | Heinz | French's (Canadian-made), President's Choice |
| Meat & Processed Foods | ||
| Deli Meats | Oscar Mayer | Maple Leaf, Schneiders, Pillers |
| Bacon, Ham | Hormel | Olymel, Grimm's |
| Chicken Products | Tyson Foods | Lilydale, Maple Lodge Farms |
| Plant-Based | Beyond Meat | Yves Veggie Cuisine, Gardein |
| Condiments & Sauces | ||
| Mayonnaise | Miracle Whip | Hellman's Canada,President's Choice, Compliments |
| Mustard | French's | Kozlik's, President's Choice |
| Salad Dressing | Hidden Valley | Renee's, Kraft (Canadian-made varieties) |
| Hot Sauce | Tabasco | Dawson's, Piri Piri by PC, No Name hot sauce |
| Baking Products | ||
| Flour, Baking Mixes | Pillsbury | Robin Hood, Five Roses, Compliments |
| Cake Mixes | Betty Crocker | President's Choice, No Name |
| Chocolate Chips | Hershey's | Camino, Laura Secord, PC chocolate chips |
| Sugar | Domino | Redpath (Canadian brand) |
| Frozen Foods | ||
| Vegetables | Green Giant | Arctic Gardens, Compliments, No Name |
| Frozen Meals | Stouffer's | President's Choice, M&M Food Market |
| Waffles | Eggo | Nature's Path, President's Choice |
| Frozen Pizza | DiGiomo | Dr. Oetker (some made in Canada), President's Choice |
| Coffee & Tea | ||
| Coffee | Starbucks | Tim Hortons, Second Cup, Van Houtte |
| Coffee (Ground) | Folgers | Nabob, Kicking Horse Coffee |
| Tea | Lipton | Red Rose, Tetley (some products Canadian-made) |
| Coffee Creamers | Nestlé | International Delight (Canadian-made), Beatrice |
| Personal Care Products | ||
| Toothpaste | Colgate | Green Beaver, Tom's of Maine (some Canadian-made) |
| Soap, Shampoo | Dove | Live Clean, The Green Beaver Company |
| Shampoo | Head & Shoulders | Attitude, The Unscented Company |
| Razors, Shaving Cream | Gillette | Schick (some Canadian-made), Personna |
| Pet Food | ||
| Dog Food | Blue Buffalo | First Mate, Performatrin (Ulta & Prime), Smack Pet Food |
| Cat Food | Hill's Pet Nutrition | Fresh 4 Life, Go! Solutions, Acana, Open Farm, NOW Fresh/td> |