Huy Fong Inc., one of the world’s largest makers in the Asian hot sauce market, says it anticipates a major shortage of its beloved sriracha.
“Unfortunately, we can confirm that there is an unprecedented shortage of our products,” the company said in a statement. “We are still struggling to resolve this issue caused by multiple spiraling events including unexpected crop failures in the spring chili crop.”
Although chili peppers have been in constant shortage since the early days of the Covid pandemic, Huy Fong warned in April that an even greater shortage of chillies would occur due to severe weather conditions affecting the quality of the peppers. The situation is “out of our control” and would adversely affect the manufacture and sale of Sriracha, the company said in an April 19 letter to distributors.
The company said it will not accept new orders placed before September and any orders received before Labor Day will be filled in the fall as it does not have the inventory to meet that demand. Huy Fong advised retailers “not to promise customers any product unless you have the product in stock”.
“We hope for a fruitful autumn season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time,” said Huy Fong.
The production stop applies to Huy Fong’s signature hot chili sauce Sriracha, as well as its Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek products.
So what does this mean for Sriracha fans?
Customers do not take this message lightly. Some sriracha lovers have decided to stock up at their local grocery stores in preparation for their scary and “spiceless” future.
Because this is the internet age that has sparked a backlash. Other fans are furious with these hot sauce hoarders, comparing them to those who stocked up on toilet paper, hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes in the early days of the pandemic, only making the situation worse for other people – and for themselves got worse.
Founded in 1980 by Chinese immigrant David Tran, Sriracha has made its way onto the shelves of major retailers such as Target (TGT) and Whole Foods and has been a fan favorite since its inception, with the consumer-loved Asian hot sauce being fully stocked in stores it may be time to find an alternative to hot sauce.