Democracy Dies in Darkness

Another Sriracha shortage could be coming. A severe drought is to blame.

Huy Fong Foods paused production of its spicy red Sriracha, blaming a chile supply that is “too green.”

May 8, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. EDT
Sriracha sauce is produced at the Huy Fong Foods factory in Irwindale, Calif., in 2013. (Nick Ut/AP)
6 min

Jennifer Wunderlich can’t recall the last time Huy Fong Foods’ Sriracha sauce was in stock at her workplace, a New York-based specialty confections and gourmet food distributor.

It’s been “months and months” since Wunderlich said she’s seen the rooster-adorned, green-capped bottles at Nassau Candy, where she works as a customer support and sales specialist. Other distributors said their inventory of the red, garlicky sauce, which has cultivated an ardent popularity, is also depleted — and they worry it won’t be returning any time soon.