Is there a Sriracha sauce shortage coming soon? Huy Fong Inc puts blame on low supply of chilli peppers

Foodies might have to skip topping their food with Sriracha sauce this summer. Huy Fong Inc., one of the world's largest hot sauce producers, announced an upcoming shortage of condiments.

The company revealed that there had been a rising shortage in the supply of chilies, beginning during the pandemic. The situation has gotten worse due to the ongoing droughts in Mexico, their primary supplier of red chili peppers.

So buyers might not see the hot sauce on supermarket shelves until after September.

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Sriracha sauce might be unavailable until fall

Huy Fong Inc. revealed information related to the Sriracha sauce shortage last week. It shared that it was getting a diminished supply of chili due to crop failure. It said:

"Unfortunately, we can confirm that there is an unprecedented shortage of our products. We are still endeavouring to resolve this issue that has been caused by several spiralling events, including unexpected crop failure from the spring chilli harvest."

The rooster emblazoned company also shared a warning with its wholesale buyers earlier this year in April 2022. They revealed:

"Currently, due to weather conditions affecting the quality of chilli peppers, we now face a more severe shortage of chilli. Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any on our products."

The company had previously warned its buyers about the shortage and asked them to "not promise any product to the customers" unless they get it in stock.

It shared that the company has been dealing with a consistent short supply of chilies, which started in the first few months of the pandemic. It said it would not be able to take any new orders before September, and orders made before Labor Day would be fulfilled in the fall.

The company added:

"We hope for a fruitful fall season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time."

Other items that will suffer a shortage include the company's Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek products.

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Customers and restaurants react to the shortage

Sriracha sauce fans have already started to hoard the spicy condiment, which has been met with backlash online.

Users compared the hoarders with people who bought massive amounts of toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and Clorox wipes during the early days of the pandemic, only making the situation worse for others.

Restaurants have also started to cut back on the sauce. A sushi place called Brady’s Sushi and Hibachi in Kentucky posted a statement on Facebook, announcing that they will not offer Sriracha sauce as a free condiment until the shortage.

A note from the restaurant read:

“Since it also plays a key role in our house-made Spicy Mayo, we will start to limit 1 free Spicy Mayo per 2 rolls until we secure our resources."

They added:

"Thank you for your cooperation and understanding during these challenging times.”

This led customers to drop bottles of Sriracha at the restaurant. The restaurant showed gratitude to its customers by posting:

“We know we are loved when you wait outside our door in the morning to drop off the Sriracha bottles you found on the shelves at a local grocery store. Friends! You are amazing!”

The item is currently available in online stores, but fans who cannot get their hands on the Sriracha sauce can try other alternatives like Harrisa or Peri-Peri.