The most popular producer of Srirarcha sauce in the USA has warned customers a spicy drought is coming. According to Huy Fong Foods, manufacturer famous for bottles with a rooster, they are low on ingredients for the recipe. For decades, the company has relied on peppers sourced from Mexico, but weather conditions have caused crops to fail.
Using different peppers would alter the flavor, which could be a major risk for the company. Huy Fong Sriracha is a staple in thousands of restaurants, and they have to a reputation to keep. Rather than put out substandard sauce, the company is tightening up their supply to battle a looming shortage.
In a letter sent to wholesalers, the company said they would be unable to fulfill orders over the summer. The hope is that crops will have time to replenish. If everything goes to plan, orders will resume after Labor Day.
How could this Sriracha shortage effect you?
Don’t be surprised if your favorite restaurant either doesn’t have or limits how much Sriracha you can have. Normally, you’d expect to see a bottle hanging out for anyone to use. Technically, ‘sriracha’ is a generic term, and other manufacturers also make a similar sauce. But brand recognition is vital, and there’s something about how Huy Fong makes their sauce that makes it stand out.
Huy Fong has weathered other troubles in the past. Along with legal battles with their supplier, they have also fought with the city their factory is based out of. Residents of Irwindale sued the company because “fumes from the factory are noxious,” and this “made it hard to live there.” While the lawsuit almost shut the whole place down, the factory survived. Hopefully, things will even out and we can all have Sriracha to go with Thanksgiving dinner.
