After almost 30 years, the 99-cent price tag that AriZona is known for could go away.
Founder and chairman Don Vultaggio said he may be forced to break the promise that he would never raise the price of AriZona’s canned iced tea, The New York Times reported.
Despite inflation, which would make the cost $1.99 for a can of tea, the price has remained steady at less than $1 since 1997.
Vultaggio cited President Donald Trump’s 50% tariff on aluminum imports.
The U.S. Census Bureau said that about half of all aluminum used in the U.S. is imported, with about half coming from Canada, Reuters reported.
The company uses more than 100 pounds of the metal every year, with about 20% coming from Canada, the Times reported.
“We’re holding the line for now despite rising aluminum costs,” Vultaggio told the “Today” show. “It’s particularly unfair — 80% of our can sheet metal comes from recycled U.S. beverage cans, yet 100% of our aluminum is subject to tariffs.”
Vultaggio said that he hopes the tariff debate will be resolved, but if it isn’t, “at some point the consumer is going to have to pay the price,” he told the Times.
As it stands now, AriZona is one of the best-selling teas on the market, selling more than two billion cans every year, along with glass bottles and gallon jugs, bringing in more than $4 billion in sales, Fox Business and the “Today” show reported.
As for the “tall boy” cans being sold for more than 99 cents at some markets despite what is printed on the container, Vultaggio said that he can only encourage stories to sell the drinks at the price his company set.
“The price is on the can. We do all we can to help retailers remain profitable, so stores can sell it for 99 cents,” he said in 2024, according to “Today.”
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