Sriracha prices surge amid shortage spurred by drought
- Drought in Mexico has resulted in a chili pepper shortage
- Sriracha sauce production has slowed, resulting in high prices
- Some stores report bottles disappearing from the shelves
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(NewsNation) — More than a year since California-based Huy Fong Foods announced it was facing a chili pepper shortage, store shelves where Sriracha sauce once sat are still empty, leaving customers to buy the product online for a premium.
The iconic bottle with green cap and rooster logo is scarce this year, thanks to droughts in Mexico, the Los Angeles Times reported. The sauce isn’t available on Walmart.com or Target.com, and a two-pack of 17-ounce bottles is being listed for more than $100 on Amazon.
In the Bay Area, the once-cheap product is selling for as much as $30 in grocery stores, SF Gate reported, and some people are resorting to stealing the popular hot sauce.
Huy Fong Foods said in a statement to Food and Wine Magazine is it facing an “unprecedented shortage” of supplies.
“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,” the statement read. “We hope for a fruitful fall season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time.”
Mexico is experiencing a heat wave, with temperatures reaching up to 113 degrees. The system is spilling over into the southern U.S., too, straining the power grid in Texas.
When Huy Fong Foods announced the shortage in April last year, the company told vendors it was bumping back orders and putting new ones on hold until September 2022.
