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Schwartz’s Deli replaces black cherry soda with Quebec-made alternative as U.S. tariffs bite
🇨🇦 Canada /Economy & Trade

Schwartz’s Deli replaces black cherry soda with Quebec-made alternative as U.S. tariffs bite

From Global News · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Outcome reported
  • Schwartz’s Deli in Montreal has replaced Cott’s Black Cherry Soda with Quebec-made Fleischer’s Original Black Cherry Soda.
  • Cott’s Canadian production stopped after its owner, Refresco, discontinued the canned drink, with the deli’s manager citing higher aluminum costs linked partly to U.S. tariffs.
  • The switch reflects a broader Buy Canadian trend, although the replacement costs about twice as much as the former drink.

For decades, a smoked-meat sandwich at Montreal’s Schwartz’s Deli came with a familiar local pairing: Cott’s Black Cherry Soda. That tradition ended after the drink disappeared from Canadian production, prompting the iconic deli to find a Quebec-made replacement.

Schwartz’s now serves Fleischer’s Original Black Cherry Soda. The change followed the depletion of its Cott’s supply in March. Cott’s had once been made in Montreal and had formed part of the deli’s identity since its early years, according to general manager Frank Silva.

It’s always good to support locally.

— Liam KeenanA Toronto visitor welcomed Schwartz’s decision to serve a Quebec-made soda.

“People appreciated (it) being local and different and a little sweet, with the spices from the smoked meat,” Silva said. “People got hooked on it, so people come here for a smoked meat sandwich and a black cherry. That was always the case.”

People appreciated (it) being local and different and a little sweet, with the spices from the smoked meat. People got hooked on it, so people come here for a smoked meat sandwich and a black cherry. That was always the case.

— Frank SilvaSchwartz’s general manager explained why the soda became part of the deli’s longstanding tradition.

Cott’s former owner bought the brand in 2018, and multinational beverage company Refresco later stopped manufacturing Cott products in Canada. Refresco declined an interview request but confirmed the production change. Silva said the canned black cherry soda was discontinued partly because American tariffs increased the cost of aluminum. A 2023 change to Quebec’s recycling system, which introduced a 10-cent deposit on canned drinks, may also have contributed, he said.

The Fleischer’s can costs about twice as much as Cott’s did, but its larger size allows customers to share it. Some customers have welcomed the replacement. Liam Keenan, visiting from Toronto, noticed that the can looked different but said the drink still tasted great. Silva said customers were responding positively because the new soda is larger and Canadian.

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.

— Frank SilvaHe linked the canned drink’s discontinuation partly to higher aluminum costs associated with U.S. tariffs.

The switch comes as more businesses embrace a Buy Canadian message amid tariffs and a trade dispute with the United States. At Schwartz’s, that broader trade tension has reached the menu through a small but highly recognizable part of the smoked-meat experience.

It’s a bigger can, and it’s local, it’s Canadian, so people are really getting into it.

— Frank SilvaHe described customer reactions to the Quebec-made replacement.
About this summary

Originally published by Global News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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