Ori Zohar & Ethan Frisch: The Faces of the Tariff Fight
Most founders hope to make headlines for launching products, not suing the federal government. But this year, Ori Zohar and Ethan Frisch became among the food industry’s most prominent voices in the battle over tariffs after Burlap & Barrel successfully challenged the Trump administration’s use of Section 122 to impose sweeping import duties. The court victory didn’t just spare the spice importer from higher costs; it elevated Zohar and Frisch into unlikely advocates for thousands of small food businesses navigating an increasingly uncertain trade environment. The case underscored just how vulnerable entrepreneurial brands can be to global policy shifts, particularly those built around sourcing unique ingredients from farmers around the world. Long before the lawsuit, Zohar and Frisch had built Burlap & Barrel around a direct-trade model that connected consumers with single-origin spices while creating better economic opportunities for growers. This year, they expanded that mission beyond the supply chain, becoming a public champion for predictable trade policy and the independent food companies caught in its crosshairs.