Heidi Reimer-Epp Talks Supporting Canadian Businesses on 680 CJOB

As a proudly Canadian company, we’ve always been committed to providing innovative, sustainable products to our customers no matter where they are. With the looming US tariffs and the recent news of a 30-day reprieve them, we find ourselves reflecting on the challenges that lie ahead, particularly when it comes to our trade relationships with the United States. In an insightful conversation with 680 CJOB, our CEO and co-founder Heidi Reimer-Epp shared what it means for our business, the broader Canadian economy, and the overall impact of supporting Canadian businesses.

Read the full interview below:

What’s your reaction to the news that we have a 30-day reprieve from the tariffs?

I’m relieved, but I’m also really digging in my commitment to lead Botanical PaperWorks well. And truly, the financial market, I think, reflects the state of my emotions with the ups and downs these days. It’s quite a time, with still a lot of uncertainty, and I think it’s going to be a long four years.

How much of your business is aimed at the United States?

We have got about 40% of our business that goes to the US. We are a niche product of seed paper that you plant, and it grows flowers, so exporting has always been a key part of our strategy. But with all of this tariff talk, it really is making us take a look and think about what are our solutions. One of those is going to be really digging into the Canadian market, and supporting our distributors across Canada, and providing a “Made in Canada” promotional product. Because that’s where we go, we take our seed paper a lot into the promo industry. So, helping them and giving them products that they can sell to their clients and also just really looking for more Canadian business.

Can you tell us about taking advantage of that good sentiment that we’ve heard over the last 72 hours, of making a greater effort to support Canadian businesses?

Well, it’s incredibly appreciated. If anybody wonders if buying Canadian makes a difference for small and medium size enterprises, it absolutely does — that’s what I would want to say to consumers. This is the time to double down on supporting Canadian companies because it is a reprieve, not a solution. Canadian small businesses really need your support. I heard today at Botanical PaperWorks about a customer who was pulling out of a US contract and looking for Canadian suppliers and had turned to us. That means a lot!

To fellow small businesses, it’s also time to reduce your reliance on US made goods or inputs so that you can start to look for that within the Canadian economy. Together, I hope that we will come out all stronger than we were when we started this.

Minor edits have been made to this interview for clarity.

As we navigate these uncertain times, we remain committed to supporting Canadian businesses find sustainable solutions that make an impact. Explore our catalog and contact us to begin customizing products to grow your brand.