Schwartz’s Deli swaps black cherry soda for local alternative as U.S. tariffs bite

MONTREAL — On a typical summer day at Schwartz’s Deli, in Montreal, there’s a lineup at the door as tourists and locals wait to get their smoked-meat sandwich. For decades, customers would be able to order a can of Cott’s Black Cherry Soda alongside their sandwich. While Cott’s used to be a local brand, it was bought out in 2018 by a multinational beverage company, Refresco, which said it has stopped production of the drink in Canada.

The supply change has prompted the iconic smoked-meat deli to to turn to a local made-in-Quebec alternative, Fleischer’s Original Black Cherry Soda. This comes as a growing cohort of businesses embrace a Buy Canadian mantra in a landscape disrupted by tariffs and the trade war with the United States. And some customers at the Montreal landmark smoked-meat shop seem to be enthusiastic about the newest item on the menu.

“It’s always good to support locally,” said Liam Keenan, who was visiting from Toronto and getting ready to tackle the classic Schwartz’s trio: smoked-meat sandwich, pickle, and black cherry soda. Keenan had been to Schwartz’s once before. He said he noticed the canned drink looked different this time, but that it still tasted great.

Originally, Cott’s Black Cherry Soda was made in Montreal. It had been part of Schwartz’s history since its early years, almost a century ago. “People appreciated (it) being local and different and a little sweet, with the spices from the smoked meat,” Frank Silva, Schwartz’s general manager, said in a recent interview.

“People got hooked on it, so people come here for a smoked meat sandwich and a black cherry. That was always the case.” But Silva said the canned version of Cott’s Black Cherry Soda was discontinued by the manufacturer, in part because of American tariffs on aluminum. “It was very popular here, but I don’t think they sold to too many other places.

So when the cost for aluminum went up, they decided to eliminate black cherry in a can,” Silva said, from behind the counter of the crowded deli, between two smoked-meat sandwich orders. A 2023 change in the provincial recycling system, which implemented a 10-cent deposit for canned drinks, may also have played a role in the end of Cott’s Canadian production, he said. Soft-drink producer Refresco declined The Canadian Press’s interview request, but confirmed they stopped manufacturing Cott pro…