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If the lettuce shortage wasn’t bad enough, now spice lovers are facing a crisis of their own: a sriracha shortage.
Huy Fong Foods – the makers of Sriracha, Chilli Garlic and Sambal Oelek – have suspended their production of spicy sauces due to a lack of chilli peppers.
“Unfortunately, we can confirm that there is an unprecedented shortage of our products,” the company said in a statement.
“We are still endeavoring to resolve this issue that has been caused by several spiraling events, including unexpected crop failure from the spring chilli harvest. We hope for a fruitful fall season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time.”
“Pushed over the limit”
Huy Fong sources its chillies from farms in California, New Mexico and Mexico. Record-breaking heat and a historic drought in western parts of the US has resulted in a below average chilli harvest.
Speaking to NPR, Murray Tortarolo from the National Autonomous University of Mexico said: “Sriracha is actually made from a very special type of pepper that only grows in the southern U.S. and northern Mexico.
“These red jalapeños are only grown during the first four months of the year, and they need very controlled conditions, particularly constant irrigation.
“The already difficult conditions were pushed over the limit by two consecutive La Niña events. And the dry season has not only been intense, but also remarkably long.”
A Coles spokesperson confirmed the devastating news to The Guardian that the shortage has indeed begun to impact Australian retailers.
The spokesperson said they’re “experiencing inconsistent supply of Huy Fong Foods Sriracha sauce from the US in recent months.”
“We are working closely with suppliers to determine when the product will be back on shelves.”
So how long can we expect this shortage to last?
In an email sent to customers on April 19, Huong Foods, say they won’t be taking any more orders until after September.
Sriracha substitutes
Thankfully, Huy Fong Foods isn’t the only producer of hot sauce, although they are one of the most popular.
If you’re looking for a substitute, the best place to start is the nutrition information panel on other hot sauce bottles. Look for a hot sauce that contains chili, vinegar, sugar and salt.
Hopefully, you’ll come across a winner that can be a placeholder on your shelf until Huy Fong Foods can get their hot sauces back down under.
Shopping for sriracha alternatives?
TRUFF White hotter hot sauce, $59.95, David Jones
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