Sriracha Shortage Predicted as Huy Fong Foods Stops Production of Famous Chili Sauce

Sriracha, a popular chili sauce, is reportedly close to shortage again as its manufacturer, Huy Fong Foods, has once again halted production. According to reports, the company stopped making the sauce and will not resume production until after Labor Day in the United States, which is Sept. 2.

LiveNOW Fox News reported that customers and fans of Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha sauce may have to buy more bottles now as there could be a shortage this summer. The news of a possible shortage started when the company said on Thursday, May 9, that it would halt the production of the sauce.

Temporary Suspension of Operations

But then again, Huy Fong Foods clarified that the discontinuance is only temporary. The company explained the sudden interruption in the production of its Sriracha chili sauce was due to the low supply of high-quality chilies.

The Los Angeles-based sauce maker added that the situation was made worse by the ongoing issues with the supply chain. Moreover, while tons of chilies could be available, not all of them meet the brand's quality standards, so they cannot be used to make Sriracha.

"After re-evaluating our supply of chilis, we have determined that it is too green to proceed with production as it is affecting the color of the product," Huy Fong Foods reportedly wrote in a letter addressed to wholesale buyers of its chili sauce products.

Expected Resumption of Production

The New York Times reported that this is not the first time the company has faced production challenges. Huy Fong Foods has experienced a shortage of ingredients for years, so production has had to be suspended.

In any case, the company expects to resume production of Sriracha by or after September. This is because this is also the start of the next harvest season for the brand's high-grade chilies.

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