Hot Sauce Shortage Feared As Production Halted

Hot sauce fans fear their favorite condiment may be hit by shortages after a major U.S. manufacturer paused its production of Sriracha.

Huy Fong Foods, which is based in California, says it is unable to make further batches of their popular hot sauce until after Labor Day, due to a problem with the red winter jalapeño pepper crop in Mexico. A drought ravaging the country has disrupted the peppers’ ripening process—and they remain too green to use, the company said.

The news comes amid a string of other foods being hit with supply issues, due to severe weather, outbreaks of animal diseases, or global conflicts. For example, mustard, another popular condiment, has also been hit with shortages in recent years, with climate change blamed for causing the seeds’ yields to plummet. The price of eggs has also surged in the U.S. after a shortage caused by a bird flu outbreak that killed millions of chickens.

Global conflicts can also affect food supply and may lead to shortages by making it harder for the agriculture industry to function, while blockades can prevent produce from being transported around the world. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, one of the world’s largest grain exporters, had a dramatic impact that was felt across the globe.

Huy Fong’s decision to temporarily halt production of its Sriracha was revealed in a letter to the company’s wholesale buyers last week, according to an article by USA Today, which revealed it had seen the document.

“After reevaluating our supply of chili, we have determined that it is too green to proceed with production as it is affecting the color of the product,” the company, which does not sell directly to consumers, told its buyers.

Other Sriracha makers have not reported any problems with their supply of peppers, which may be grown elsewhere, the newspaper reported.

But Huy Fong told its wholesale customers: “We regret to inform you that we have decided to halt production until after Labor Day, when our next chili season starts. Unfortunately, all orders that have been scheduled beginning on May 6, 2024, will be canceled and the status changed to pending.”

It’s not the first time that the company has been hit with production problems. This is the third year in a row that there have been shortages of Huy Fong’s Sriracha.

Newsweek has reached out to Huy Fong Foods by email seeking further information and comment.