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US importers stock Parmigiano, Provolone as customs on EU cheese loom




By Andrea Shalal and Aleksandra Michalska

Parmesan cheese is seen packed in the warehouse at Ambriola Co Inc, a unit of Gennaro Auricchio SpA, one of Italy's largest cheese producers, in West Caldwell, New Jersey, USA, October 4, 201[ads1]9. REUTERS / Shannon Stapleton

WASHINGTON / WEST CALDWELL, New Jersey (Reuters) – Ambriola Co Inc's parent warehouse in West Caldwell, New Jersey, is packed with boxes and wheels with harder cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano and Grana Padano – and more coming, much more.

Phil Marfuggi, President and CEO of Ambriola, a unit of Auricchio SpA, one of Italy's largest cheese producers, is among the many importers and shopkeepers across the country who are rushing to store European cheeses before new US tariffs kick in 18. October to protect consumers from price increases.

The Trump administration on Wednesday beat 25% tariff on cheese and other EU products from whiskey to wool, in return for EU subsidies on large aircraft. Both sides say they are open to negotiations, but trade experts see little chance of fending off the duties – at least in the short term.

Importers began ordering millions of dollars of extra wheels with Parmigiano Reggiano and other harder cheeses after the U.S. Trade Representative's office in July added cheese to its list of EU products as potential tariffs due to the flight subsidy dispute.

"When the list came out, that's when I … started to pick up many more containers of cheese from Reggiano, Provolone," said Marfuggi, who has an additional 21 shipping containers full of cheese along the way to be added to the warehouse at the company's warehouse in Caldwell, located about 15 miles west of Manhattan.

Marfuggi said he ordered extra $ 15 million cheeses that could be stored for over a year to ensure adequate supplies to existing customers and protect prices through the end of the year.

"I've built up inventory … because we have a target on my back," he said.

The new tariffs could reduce US imports of EU cheeses to $ 1.5 billion a year by 30% and raise prices across the country, said Marfuggi, who also serves as president of the Cheese Importers Association of America.

Some more expensive items will simply disappear from the stores, he predicted, like Moliterno al Tartufo, an old Italian cheese with an intense truffle taste. Even Parmigiano Reggiano could be at risk if prices rise to $ 30 a pound, he said.

"There are going to be some things … that the supermarkets just won't cope anymore. That would be prohibitive, he said.

Tariffs will hit consumer prices and eventually work across the United States, said Ralph Hoffman, executive vice president of Schuman Cheese, one of the largest importers of hard Italian cheeses.

Over 20,000 US stores ranging from Costco Wholesale Corp ( COST.O ) to Wegmans Food Markets sell EU cheeses. These cheeses generate about $ 3.5 billion in revenue for US companies, and support around 20,000 jobs, including buyers, deli offices, truck drivers and warehouse workers, Hoffman said. He noted that the new tariffs come on top of existing tariffs of around 15%.

Specialist The Fresh Market estimates that tariffs will affect around 35% of the 200 cheeses it has in its 160 stores.

"We are waiting to see how importers move the costs forward," said Andrew Harvell, who heads the company's cheese department. "Everything is still up in the air," he said, adding that Fresh Market had pre-ordered enough cheese to last through the holiday season, but you may have to raise prices soon afterwards.

Mike Bowers, the third-generation owner of a specialty cheese shop in Washington's large-scale market, said he began hoarding extra wheels with hard cheeses – some weighing as much as 80 pounds – in July when USTR first announced that they could impose tariffs on cheese and other agricultural products.

His glass cheese counter, coolers and large walk-in refrigerator are filled to overflowing, but Bowers said his supplies won't last through the holidays. He said he would have to continue the costs of the tariffs.

“I'm a little guy. I can't buy a $ 100 cheese and sell it for $ 50 and expect to be in business for too long, ”he said.

"I have a store of cheese to make sure I am able to maintain inventory and maintain sales at my counter," Bowers said. "And as time goes on, we have to watch."

He said that the quality of American cheeses was improving, providing good alternatives to some popular European cheeses, but that he had to find ways to be more "innovative" in the future.

He also has a solid selection of Swiss cheeses that are not subject to EU tariffs, including a Gruyere-style L'Etivaz, made in old-fashioned copper pots.

Marfuggi said it was a relief that USTR chose 25% tariffs instead of the 100% rate originally proposed, but he worries that buyers would switch to domestic or other foreign supplies if tariffs stayed in place for a long time .

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"If that happens, you will lose a significant amount of consumer base and it is difficult to win it back," he said.

And cheese partitioning cannot solve all expected shortcomings, he warned. Many softer cheeses cannot be stored for nearly as long, so the prices of these items are likely to increase rapidly.

"If you're a Gorgonzola lover, you're definitely lucky," Marfuggi said.

Reporting by Andrea Shalal and Aleksandra Michalska; Additional reporting by Richa Naidu; Editing by Heather Timmons and Leslie Adler

Our Standards: Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.



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