Nutrius, a Canadian company specializing in personal care items, says ongoing tariff and trade uncertainty has had no effect on its business, with its chief executive arguing that existing North American trade rules continue to shield the company’s operations.
Charles Wachsberg, CEO of Nutrius, said the company’s products are fully compliant under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement and therefore carved out from tariff exposure.
“Nothing at all,” Wachsberg said when asked about the impact of tariff and trade uncertainty. “We are and have always been CUSMA-compliant, or USMCA-compliant, depending on which side of the border we’re on and what your vernacular is. All of our products tuck into that compliance.”
He said those products are “completely domestic to the American experience” and fall “completely outside of any tariff impact.”
Wachsberg acknowledged broader political and legal developments around tariffs but said he expects the core structure of the North American trade agreement to endure.
He noted that while a recent Supreme Court ruling has gone against tariffs, that does not eliminate the risk of new measures. Still, he argued that sweeping changes would be economically disruptive.
“This is too disruptive. It’s too impossible to contemplate unraveling,” he said. “There’s no product that is uniquely Canadian or uniquely American.”
Wachsberg said sector-specific tariffs have existed historically and may continue, but he does not see a wholesale dismantling of current trade arrangements as workable.
“I believe that CUSMA, by and large, will probably, as it should, for the benefit of both countries, exist largely in the same way it is now,” he said.
The company’s confidence in the trade framework underpins its broader growth plans, which centre on innovation and speed to market.
Wachsberg said current political rhetoric in the United States has influenced consumer sentiment in Canada, creating what he described as a “gravitas toward Canadian content.”
“Canadians obviously appreciate Americans. They appreciate the American way of life. They just don’t appreciate the current narrative,” he said, citing references to Canada as a potential 51st state or talk of annexation as examples that “cross the line.”
Support for Canadian brands
He said that shift has encouraged support for Canadian brands, particularly in categories where consumers do not have to sacrifice quality or selection.
In some sectors, he said, supporting domestic production may require trade-offs. “If you like bourbon, you’re not going to drink bourbon if you’re supporting Canada, because there is no bourbon in Canada,” he said.
By contrast, he argued that Nutrius products allow consumers to buy Canadian without compromise. The company operates with 650 employees producing goods through Apollo Health and Beauty Care, with Nutrius positioned as a core house brand.
“Canadians get to benefit from a true Canadian success story and be purchasing Canadian product, which is already recognized as being the best on a global stage,” he said.
An ecosystem of products
Wachsberg described Nutrius as an ecosystem of products offered at what he called a unique value point, supported by innovation and a 35-year corporate history.
Beyond Canada, Wachsberg said the company sees opportunity in international markets, citing preferential duty rates and Canada’s political positioning.
“We are the American lifestyle without the American politics at present,” he said.
As some countries face heightened trade barriers with the United States, he said Canada has not imposed similar restrictions, creating what he described as both a technical and social advantage for Canadian exports.
“Canadian products have always been well received. They’ve always been highly regarded and respected for their quality,” he said.
He added that Canada’s perceived neutrality on the political stage contributes to the appeal of its goods abroad.
Wachsberg framed this as an opportunity to deliver North American-style products without what he called the “overhang” of current U.S. trade realities.
Large and continuous product development pipeline
Central to the company’s growth strategy is a large and continuous product development pipeline.
Wachsberg said the company commercializes roughly 800 products a year, while experimenting with thousands of different formulations that may or may not reach market.
Products that are not immediately commercialized are stored in a library for potential future use in retail or distribution channels when market conditions shift.
“There’s always an innovation engine. There’s always a fleet-footedness to our operations,” he said.
That approach is particularly pronounced at Nutrius, which he described as an aspirational brand built on “innovation and newness and sensorial advantage.”
Speed to market and resonance with consumers are critical, he said.
“We’re always launching new. We’re always first. We’re always appreciating that speed to market and resonating with the customer public is the secret sauce in our space and perhaps in any sector class,” Wachsberg said.
He characterized that focus on rapid commercialization and responsiveness as the company’s operating ethos.
“That is the ethos of our company and, of course, the Nutrius brand,” he said.
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