If the Boston Tea Party happened today, it would probably involve Black folks outraged over the attack on AriZona Iced Tea— and for good reason. An absolute staple in the Black community and neighborhood corner stores, our beloved 99¢ can of iced tea appears to be under a new threat thanks to a move by Trump’s administration that is causing a ripple effect.
Suggested Reading
For over 30 years, AriZona has kept its iconic 99¢ price tag, making it a familiar staple in Black communities across the country. Whether you were walking home from school with a dollar in your pocket, a mother serving drinks to a family household, or digging change out of your car door at the gas station, you could count on AriZona being a dollar. The company took that commitment seriously as well, printing the price on the can as proof that they understood how much that 99¢ meant to us. But Trump seemingly has other plans.
The company has weathered pandemics, recessions, supply chain issues, and stock market crashes— but the administration’s decision to double tariffs on imported aluminum and steel, from 25% to 50%, finally put a real strain on the brand. And we aren’t the only ones heartbroken. AriZona founder, Don Vultaggio, told The New York Times: “I hate even the thought of it. It would be a hell of a shame after 30-plus years.”
Even if the beverage boss had adjusted his prices to keep up with inflation from 1997 up until today, the cost of the drink would have nearly doubled to $1.99, per the New York Post. To offset some financial pressure, AriZona reduced the size of its cans in 2020, changing lids to use less aluminum and shrinking the drinks from 23 ounces to 22.
“Those are the kinds of things you do behind the scenes that don’t affect the consumer,” Vultaggio told The Hill in 2022. “What manufacturers have to understand is what I’ve learned a long time ago: You deal with what you can fix. The things out of your control, we can’t help. But the ones you can control, shame on you if you’re not doing something about it.”
“We made the decision [not to change the price] because our consumers are being pinched on all corners of their lives. And I thought if we can hold price, that would be a great gesture towards our customer base that we’re working hard to keep,” Vultaggio added.
As we’ve mentioned before, the economy has shifted drastically in 2025, but Vultaggio is doing his best to keep the drink affordable. Still, the future could be a struggle. Trump’s aluminum tariffs, intended to “protect” U.S. industry, continue to threaten AriZona’s fixed price, since nearly 100 million pounds of aluminum are needed to produce a batch of iced tea—20% of which comes from Canada, per the Post.
“We’re holding the line for now despite rising aluminum costs,” Vultaggio confirmed Wednesday, noting that margins are getting pretty tight. “It’s particularly unfair—80% of our can sheet metal comes from recycled U.S. beverage cans, yet 100% of our aluminum is subject to tariffs.”
Folks took to X to share their disdain for the threat of a higher price point.
“IS NOTHING F*CKING SACRED?” one person asked.
Another wrote: “The apacolypse is here.”
A third person commented, “This is where we draw the line.”
Despite the complications, the company is doing their best to remain cool, calm, and collected amid the current economic climate. “What happens, happens. We can find our way through it,” Vultaggio told the Times. But Black folks will never forget the decades-long bond we had over that 99¢ can—and if Trump wants to know what betrayal feels like, this is it.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.