Hot SOS! There’s a sriracha shortage incoming

MANILA, Philippines – Better stock up on your favorite hot sauce ASAP, because sriracha fans around the world are getting fired up over the impending shortage of their favorite hot chili sauce.

Huy Fong Foods, the California-based leading producer of the popular Asian spicy condiment, announced through a statement that it would be pausing production of its products due to a chili pepper shortage. This includes Huy Fong’s Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, Chili Garlic, and Sambal Oelek.

According to a CNN report, the “severe” chili pepper shortage is due to the changing climate and weather conditions, which are also producing a poorer quality of peppers. The peppers are sourced from different farms in Mexico, New Mexico, and California – California has reportedly been experiencing “extreme drought” conditions and very hot temperatures recently.

Huy Fong Foods said that any previous orders made before Labor Day in the US (September 5) would only be completed “in the fall,” because there is not enough inventory to meet the demand of its distributors. This means that they will no longer accept any new orders placed before that month.

“Unfortunately, this unprecedented shortage of our products is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products,” Huy Fong Foods said.

“We are still endeavoring to resolve this issue that has been caused by several spiraling events, including unexpected crop failure from the spring chili harvest.”

Huy Fong’s most popular item, the vegetarian-friendly Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, is made from sun-ripened chilies, pureed into a smooth taste and packaged in its iconic “rooster” plastic squeeze bottle. The Chili Garlic Sauce is a “thick, chunky style hot sauce with a hint of garlic flavor,” while the Sambal Oelek is “a full-bodied sauce with the pure taste of chilies.”

David Tran, a Vietnam-born immigrant to the US, founded the company in 1980, launching the family-run business in Los Angeles’ Chinatown. – Steph Arnaldo/Rappler.com