Chili shortage forces Sriracha’s maker to suspend spicy sauce production

The maker of one of the U.S.’s most beloved condiments — Huy Fong Foods Inc. — has been forced to suspend production of its iconic spicy sauces due to a shortage of chili peppers.

The company confirmed Wednesday that a shortage of peppers in its inventory had affected production of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek.

What appears to be a letter from the company to buyers of the products, dated April this year, recently came to light online.

“Currently, due to weather conditions affecting the quality of chili peppers, we now face a more severe shortage of chili,” the letter reads. “Unfortunately, this is out of our control and without this essential ingredient we are unable to produce any of our products.”

Chili-heads didn’t take the news lightly on social media, with some lamenting the “worst news of the year” and the “end of days.” Others said they were planning to bulk-buy Huy Fong’s sauces in case shelves ran empty.

Extreme weather, pandemic supply-chain snarls and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have all taken their toll on food production this year. Sriracha is just the latest item on a growing list of foods in short supply around the world, which includes chicken, popcorn, salami and fries.