Fly By Jing Prioritizes Sichuan Roots Amid Staggering Tariffs

We are tracking the impact of the Trump Administration’s new tariff policies on emerging packaged food brands. Today’s story examines how Fly By Jing, the maker of Sichuan chili crisp, is reacting to staggering taxes on Chinese imports.

The erratic and constantly evolving global trade war continues to keep the food industry on its toes. Last week, many breathed a temporary sigh of relief as the Trump Administration paused new, global-reaching tariffs for 90 days, while others are now bracing for the pain of elevated duties on Chinese goods.

Jing Gao, founder and CEO of Fly By Jing, said she will continue to source and produce the brand’s chili crisps and sauces in China – in spite of the staggering new taxes imposed on them.

“The news has been changing hourly but as of right now, the amount of tariffs that we are facing on all of our products immediately is about 160%, and that is compared to 15% before all of this began,” Gao shared in an update on the brand’s social media channels last week.

She pointed to many of the ingredients used – from fermented black beans to tribute peppers to cold-pressed rapeseed oil – that are integral to the bold and complex flavors of the products.

“We continue to prioritize the sourcing and manufacturing of our core sauce products in my hometown in Sichuan. The integrity of our ingredients, their specific provenance and the craftsmanship of our products are highly local to Sichuan and will continue to be,” Gao said.

She continued, “Over the last six years, as a result of our growth and investment into a global supply chain, we’ve made an indelible mark on the international aisles of the grocery stores, we have fundamentally changed and diversified the palates of millions of Americans.”

Gao said her company is prioritizing solutions that will allow it to maintain its current prices, noting the brand implemented a significant price decrease last year to make its products more accessible to mainstream shoppers as it expanded into Walmart, Target and more conventional retailers.

While the trade war is disproportionately impacting small, independent brands like hers, Gao emphasized this latest hurdle is temporary and pointed to the various other challenges the brand has overcome during the past six years.

“We started Fly By Jing on the edge of a pandemic in a climate of heightened anti-Asian sentiment. We’ve seen inflation, supply chain chaos, floods, fires, trade wars, and more.”