Kraft Heinz, Kruger and Healthy Planet are among the companies doubling down on Canadiana after recent tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump.

The moves come in response to the Trump administration’s most recent imposition of a 25% tariff on Canadian aluminum, and changes in consumer behaviour domestically, with more than six in 10 Canadians reporting that they would avoid U.S. goods, coinciding with a burgeoning “buy Canadian” shopping movement.

Canadian grocery banners are at the forefront, pivoting away from American products and ratcheting up efforts to boost the profile of local products, while numerous websites have sprung up to help consumers make more informed decisions about a product’s origins.

Kraft Heinz responds to Trudeau’s comments

Kraft Heinz unveiled a spot during Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9, which was filmed at its Mont-Royal factory in Quebec, to highlight that its brands are “made by Canadians. For Canadians.”

The creative comes shortly on the heels of comments made by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging consumers to seek out Canadian-made products, in which the PM referenced brand-switching from Heinz Ketchup to McCormick’s French’s, following the former’s Leamington, Ont., exit in 2015.

Kraft Heinz tersely responded, saying that with the exception of the five years from that time to 2020, it has made Heinz Ketchup in Canada for more than a century and that it was “resolute in our decision to bring the production of Heinz Ketchup back to Canada in 2020.”

The ad was briefed and produced in 72 hours, with agency partner Rethink on creative, Carat on paid media and Zeno on PR.

“Last Monday, the Kraft Heinz Canada team regrouped to create a plan that helps clarify the misinformation circulating about where our products are made,” Daniel Gotlib, VP of marketing and strategy for Canada, tells strategy. “After all, more than 70% of the products sold by Kraft Heinz in Canada are manufactured locally by Canadians for Canadians, including Heinz ketchup, KD, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Kraft Peanut Butter and many more.”

Gotlib says Kraft Heinz had to quickly turn around brand work to reach a mass audience during the Super Bowl. “We’re focused on telling the Kraft Heinz Canada story and being transparent and proud about our brands and how they are produced,” he says, adding it wanted to celebrate the commitment of its 1,000 Quebec employees at the Mont-Royal facility.

While Kraft Heinz is a global company, Kraft Heinz Canada has been ingrained in the Canadian community and culture for over 100 years and is one of the largest manufacturers of food in the country, Gotlib adds, pointing out that many of its brands, like Kraft Dinner and Kraft Peanut Butter, started in and are only available in Canada.

Beyond production, Kraft Heinz Canada has built longstanding partnerships and commitments with Food Banks Canada, the SickKids Foundation and the Kraft Hockeyville program. “We are the largest corporate donor of food to food banks in Canada and overall donate more than $10 million in food and cash annually to various causes across the country,” Gotlib says.

The 30-second assets went live on CTV and RDS in English and French during the Super Bowl, and will continue to be played during other prominent Canadian viewership moments like 4 Nations hockey games and even the Oscars.

Additionally, it will also be played on connected TV (streaming platforms). The brand has launched social assets on meta, TikTok and digitally through YouTube that lean into its Canadian bona fides.

Kruger rolls out ‘Made by Canadians, for Canadians’

Kruger Products also announced a new creative campaign, with the same tagline, “Made by Canadians, for Canadians,” hitting OOH, digital and social to remind consumers to embrace their made-in-Canada tissue products.

Creative leans heavily on linguistic differences across the border.

“Canadians clearly want to support products made in Canada, but it can be tricky to identify while shopping,” says Susan Irving, CMO at Kruger Products. “As a proud Canadian brand known for helping clean up messes, we’re happy to help. Not all tissue products on Canadian shelves are made in Canada, so we are making it easier for them to check the label and buy with confidence. We’ve placed the words ‘Made in Canada’ right on our packaging to showcase our pride in manufacturing our products locally.”

Healthy Planet joins made-in-Canada chorus

Healthy Planet, Canada’s largest organic grocery store chain, is touting the importance of supporting Canadian-owned and made-in-Canada brands.

Healthy Planet, which operates 37 locations across Ontario and an online store, has made it simpler for customers to support local brands by introducing a dedicated Canadian products section online and a specialized search filter.

Healthy Planet’s #HealthyCanadianSwap is a campaign for what it says is the “the largest selection of Canadian-made and owned brands in any health and organic grocery store chain,” including food, supplements and beauty, sports nutrition and home care. Customers can shop Canadian products in-store and online, using red maple leaf tags or online using the “Canadian” filter.

“With economic uncertainties ahead, now is the time to invest in homegrown businesses that create jobs, foster innovation and reflect Canadian values,” says Muhammad Mohamedy, general manager of Healthy Planet. “Through #HealthyCanadianSwap, we’re making it easier than ever for Canadians to support local while enjoying high-quality, sustainable products. Our website now showcases a maple leaf symbol beside all Canadian products.”