Sriracha maker warns of ‘unprecedented shortage’ of popular products after crop failure

(WGHP) — Lovers of sriracha-style chili sauce could soon be suffering as bottles of the sauce have become harder to find on shelves.

Huy Fong Foods, the company behind the popular Huy Fong brands of sriracha and chili sauces, warned retailers and customers in April of a “severe shortage” of the peppers used to make its sauces, blaming “weather conditions affecting the quality of chili peppers.”

“Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products,” wrote the company, which produces sriracha sauce, chili-garlic sauce and sambal oelek chili paste.

Due to the shortage, Huy Fong Foods said it would not be fulfilling any orders for sriracha since April 19 and will not begin taking orders for more until after Labor Day on Sept. 6.

On Thursday, Huy Fong Foods confirmed the issue remains ongoing.

“Unfortunately, we can confirm that there is an unprecedented shortage of our products,” the company wrote in an emailed statement shared with Nexstar. “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.”

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

A representative for the brand did not comment on which regions, if any, could be more affected by the shortages than others.

It’s possible a chili shortage could have wide-ranging impacts at supermarkets and restaurants, as sriracha-style sauces are not only used independently but also as an ingredient in many other spicy condiments, such as the spicy mayo used in wraps, sushi rolls and chicken sandwiches. It’s unclear if other brands of sriracha sauce are experiencing the same issue; a representative for Sriraja Panich, another brand available at specialty stores in the United States, had not indicated supply shortages on its official social media channels.

A representative for the company that produces Sriraja Panich was not available for comment at the time of publication.

Huy Fong Foods, Inc., founded in 1980, is based in Irwindale, California.