Shortages have rocked grocery stores in recent years, with supply chain issues, bad weather and the war in Ukraine wreaking havoc on a range of staple foods. Now another popular item is going to be harder and harder to find on store shelves.
Huy Fong Foods, Inc., the Southern California-based company that produces one of the most popular brands of Sriracha chili sauce, recently said it was facing an “unprecedented shortage of supplies” of its well-known condiment. -loved, according to USA today. This has led some retailers to impose purchase limits on the product, which is widely recognized by its rooster logo and green-capped squeeze bottle.
Supply issues have plagued Huy Fong Foods for some time now. Last June, the company confirmed an “unprecedented shortage” of its produce, citing multiple causes, including “an unexpected crop failure in the spring chili crop.” The hot sauce giant is sourcing chili peppers from Mexico, where drought conditions have reduced crop production.
Two months earlier, Huy Fong Foods had alerted buyers to the “severe chilli shortage” in a letter, noting that it would not be able to produce its Chili Garlic, Sambal Oelek and Sriracha Hot Chili sauces. The company added that orders submitted on or after April 19, 2022 would be scheduled after September 6, 2022.
While part of Sriracha production resumed last fall, Huy Fong Foods said it was still facing supply issues, which affected production. “At this time, we have no estimate of when supply will increase,” the company wrote in a statement to USA today.
Sriracha from Huy Fong Foods is made from sun-ripened chili peppers that have been mixed into a paste with sugar, salt, garlic, and distilled vinegar. The iconic condiment is frequently associated with Vietnamese pho and is commonly paired with meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles and eggs, as well as many other dishes. It was reported that the company processes 100 million pounds of chilies to produce 20 million bottles of sriracha per year.
As a hot sauce with such widespread appeal, Huy Fong’s absence from the shelves is felt among fans.
“I didn’t think the shortage of Sriracha would affect me so much,” one person said. tweeted. “Life ain’t the same since Sriracha shortage”, another Twitter user writing.
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