Limited Supply of Sriracha Hot Sauce Causes Steep Price Surge

Hot sauce enthusiasts may be taken aback by the soaring prices for bottles of Sriracha as ongoing shortages continue to plague the market. With the demand outweighing the supply, sellers on e-commerce platforms are capitalizing on this scarcity by listing Huy Fong Sriracha bottles at exorbitant prices. While Huy Fong is not the sole producer of this popular style of sauce, it dominates the market. In fact, Huy Fong Sriracha reigns as the top-selling hot sauce in 31 states, based on Instacart purchase data.

On Amazon, for instance, a pack of two 17-ounce bottles of Huy Fong Sriracha is now retailing for a staggering $114.59. Meanwhile, a four-pack of 28-ounce bottles is being sold for a jaw-dropping $200. Even Huy Fong’s chili garlic sauce is not exempt from inflation, with a three-pack of 8-ounce bottles being listed for a whopping $129.97. In normal circumstances, a single bottle of Sriracha typically retails for around $4, depending on the size.

eBay is also witnessing skyrocketing prices for various sizes of Sriracha bottles. Listings range from $39.98 for 17-ounce bottles to nearly $70 for a 28-ounce bottle. It remains unclear whether anyone is actually purchasing these overpriced condiments.

Customers disheartened by the current shortage have taken to social media to express their frustration. On Twitter, one user lamented, “Putting Sriracha on the list of things I won’t get to enjoy for at least a couple of years because of climate change.” Another user remarked that their meals haven’t been the same since the shortage began.

However, there may be a glimmer of hope for those seeking reasonably priced bottles of hot sauce. A Huy Fong spokesperson revealed that limited production has recently resumed. Despite this welcome development, the spokesperson did not disclose the extent of the production increase or its timeline. The company continues to grapple with a scarcity of raw materials, stating, “Unfortunately, we are still experiencing a shortage of raw material. At this time, we have no estimations of when supply will increase.”

This shortage of chili pepper inventory has plagued Huy Fong for years. In both July 2020 and April of the following year, the company sent letters to its customers warning of impending scarcity. Severe weather conditions negatively impacted the quality of the chili peppers, making the shortage more severe. Huy Fong lamented, “Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient, we are unable to produce any of our products.”

While the source of Huy Fong’s peppers is not explicitly stated, drought has been responsible for decreased chili production in various locations, including New Mexico and parts of Mexico. For instance, New Mexico’s chili production in 2021 witnessed a 22% decrease from the previous year due to drought. Similar weather conditions have afflicted other regions of Mexico, adversely affecting the country’s agricultural production.

Griffin Hammond, director of the 2013 documentary “Sriracha,” suggests that Huy Fong has been plagued by problems resulting from years of drought conditions. The shortage of chili peppers has left the company hamstrung, as Hammond explains, “They started the year in a bad place. So it makes sense that halfway through this year we’re already out. And if they’re out of peppers, they can’t make any more bottles.”

Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha, featuring a base of red peppers blended with salt, sugar, garlic, and vinegar, first emerged in 1980 and quickly gained a dedicated following. Even in 2015, the production of Sriracha faced a potential threat when the Irwindale City Council declared the factory a public nuisance. Fortunately, the factory managed to keep its operations running.