DES MOINES, Iowa — As of Thursday the 125% tariff on China remains in place, and its effect on local Asian grocery stores and restaurants could be detrimental.

New Oriental Food Store in the East Village not only serves as an Asian market but also helps supply products to five local restaurants like Cool Basil and Thai Flavors.

The owner says tariffs mean the price of authentic goods from overseas will continue to rise,
and that while store and restaurants haven’t raised prices yet, it’s only a matter of time.

“It’s just too bad for everybody, but they have no choice. They don’t want to go up but they have no choice because things are expensive. We try to help them, we try to support them too, because we have some stuff in the warehouse, we try to help each other, because we have some stuff in the warehouse,” said Sun Philavanh, owner of New Oriental Food Store.

Philavanh says the warehouse only has around two to three weeks supply of products, and once that’s gone she’s at the mercy of the new prices for those same products. Philavanh says customers are buying extra to help prepare for future price increases.

“Even the rice right now, the customers will try to come and stock up and buy more. Usually, they buy a bag or two bags. Right now everyone buys four or five bags … They just want to stock up because they eat the rice every day, Asian people. And they have big families too. They even try to buy for friends and family, parents whatever,” said Philavanh.

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