A beloved family-run grocery store in Florida may soon close its doors after more than four decades in business — and the owners say tariffs are to blame.
Wong Kai Imports, founded in 1983 by John Wong and his two brothers after their family immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong, has been a cornerstone for the local community in Manatee County. The shop became a go-to destination for authentic Asian ingredients in an area with few other markets like it.
Once a thriving wholesale operation based in Bradenton, Wong Kai Imports was highly profitable for years before John decided to scale down a decade ago to focus on his health. Even so, the smaller grocery arm continued to attract loyal shoppers seeking ramen noodles, sauces, candies, and specialty imports from across Asia — until now.
The trouble began when President Donald Trump’s tariffs took effect, shaking the foundation of small import businesses across the country.
Wong, who supported Trump in the last election, said he was swayed by campaign promises to reduce grocery costs. But now, as his business struggles to stay afloat, he admits the reality looks very different. Grocery inflation is at a two-year high, and prices continue to climb with no end in sight.
Wong told NPR that virtually all of his products have increased in price since early this year. For instance, a box of mabo tofu sauce — a popular Sichuan dish — has gone from $2.75 last year to $3.95 at the beginning of this year. “We just had this shipment come in yesterday — it’s $5. We cannot catch up. Every shipment coming in, we have to put a new price on it,” Wong said.
Despite the mounting costs, Wong has been reluctant to pass those increases on to his customers, many of whom are elderly and living on fixed incomes. “I talk to a lot of customers. They told me, ‘Mr. Wong, don’t close. Stay open for another three years,’” he said. “I said, ‘I try, but it’s hard. It’s very hard.’”
The grocery aisles at Wong Kai are lined with imports from countries like China, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines — all facing steep tariff hikes under Trump’s trade policies. With proposed tariffs on Chinese goods reaching as high as 145 percent, Wong finds himself caught in the crossfire. About half of his inventory originates from China, and the rising import costs have made survival increasingly difficult.
“Grocery inflation is at a two-year high, and things only seem to be getting worse,” Wong said, reflecting on how his once-thriving store now faces an uncertain future. “With the economy like that, it’s very hard for not just me. It’s for a lot of people.”
He shared a story of one longtime customer — an elderly woman — who has resorted to rationing a single can of sardines over several days just to stretch her meals.
Since coming to the U.S. from Hong Kong as a child, Wong has worked tirelessly to build his business and live the American dream. But after decades of hard work, he fears that dream is slipping away. “Over the past five years, the cost of goods has doubled with no indication of slowing down,” he said. “Is there any future? Is this the American dream?”
