Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk
Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.
We are exposed to certain market risks in the ordinary course of our business. These risks primarily consist of raw material prices, foreign exchange, and inflation as follows:
Raw Material Risk
Our profitability is dependent on, among other things, our ability to anticipate and react to raw material costs. Currently, a key ingredient in our products is stevia extract. We recently signed a new two-year agreement with a large multi-national ingredient company for the supply of stevia on similar terms as our prior agreement with the same ingredient company, including fixed pricing for the duration of the term. The prices of stevia and other ingredients we use are subject to many factors beyond our control, such as marketing conditions, climate change, supply chain challenges, and adverse weather conditions.
The price for aluminum cans also fluctuates depending on market conditions. There is currently an ongoing North American shortage of aluminum cans. We have contracts with certain suppliers of aluminum cans, but such contracts do not cover all of our expected future needs for aluminum cans. We might not be able to source enough aluminum cans in the future to meet our consumers’ demand. Our ability to continue to procure enough aluminum cans at reasonable prices will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain. For the year ended December 31, 2021, a hypothetical 10% increase or 10% decrease in the weighted average cost of aluminum, would have resulted in an increase of approximately $1.0 million or a decrease of $1.0 million, respectively, to cost of goods sold.
We are working to diversify our sources of supply and intend to enter into additional long-term contracts to better ensure stability of prices of our raw materials.
Foreign Exchange Risk
The majority of our sales and costs are denominated in United States dollars and are not subject to foreign exchange risk. As we source some ingredients and packaging materials from international sources, our results of operations could be impacted by changes in exchange rates. We sell and distribute our products to Canadian customers, who are invoiced and remit payment in Canadian dollars. All Canadian dollar transactions are translated into United States dollars using period-end rates of exchange for assets and liabilities, and average rates of exchange for the period for sales and expenses. To the extent we increase sourcing from outside the United States or increase net sales outside of the United States that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar, the impact of changes in exchange rates on our results of operations would increase. Foreign exchange gains and losses were not material for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020.
Inflation Risk
We believe that inflation has had a material effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition. If our costs were to become subject to further and prolonged significant inflationary pressures, we may not be able to fully offset such higher costs through price increases. Our inability or failure to do so could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Commodity Risk
We are subject to market risks with respect to commodities because our ability to recover increased costs through higher pricing may be limited by the competitive environment in which we operate. Our principal commodities risks relate to our purchases of aluminum, diesel fuel, cartons and corrugate.
42