Now there’s a Sriracha shortage, and spice lovers are up in arms
- Huy Fong Foods, which makes one of the most beloved condiments in the US, has been forced to suspend production as bad weather hits the chilli harvest
- Fans of the hot sauce lamented the ‘worst news of the year’ and ‘the end of days’, with some planning to buy in bulk in case stores run out
Brace yourselves spice lovers: the world is now facing a sriracha shortage.
The maker of one of the US’s most beloved condiments – Huy Fong Foods Inc. – has been forced to suspend production of its iconic spicy sauces due to a shortage of chilli peppers.
The company confirmed Wednesday that a shortage of peppers in its inventory had affected production of Sriracha hot chilli sauce, chilli garlic and sambal oelek.
What appears to be an April letter from the company to buyers of the products, dated April this year, recently came to light online.
“Currently, due to weather conditions affecting the quality of chilli peppers, we now face a more severe shortage of chilli,” the letter reads.
“Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products.”
Chilli-heads did not take the news lightly on social media, with some lamenting the “worst news of the year” and the “end of days”.
Others said they were planning to bulk-buy Huy Fong’s sauces in case shelves ran empty.
Hot facts about sriracha sauce, and why you’re saying it wrong
Extreme weather, pandemic supply-chain snarls and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have all taken their toll on food production this year.
Sriracha is just the latest item on a growing list of foods in short supply around the world, which includes chicken, popcorn, salami and fries.
