Prolonged Sriracha Sauce Shortage Sparks Black Market, Prices Surge

Sriracha sauce

The ongoing shortage of a popular red sauce has ignited a frenzy in the black market. Sriracha sauce, known for its spiciness and adorned with a distinctive rooster logo, is commanding exorbitant prices as high as $70 on eBay. Huy Fong Foods, the manufacturer behind the sought-after bottled sauce, has been grappling with a scarcity of chili peppers for several years, hampering production and leading to supply constraints.

A quick search on eBay reveals bottles of varying sizes being listed for inflated prices, ranging from $39.98 for 17-ounce bottles to nearly $70 for a 28-ounce bottle. Prices are even steeper on Amazon, where a seller offers a 2-pack for $124. However, it remains uncertain if buyers are actually willing to pay such excessive amounts, given that a standard 17-ounce bottle typically costs around $5.

According to a recent statement provided to CNN, Huy Fong Foods acknowledged the ongoing shortage of raw materials, stating that while some production resumed in the past fall season, the supply remains limited, affecting overall production. The company currently has no timeline for when the supply situation will improve. They expressed gratitude for customers' patience and understanding during this unprecedented inventory shortage and assured that efforts are underway to prevent future shortages.

The shortage has persisted for the past three years due to Huy Fong's consistently limited supply of chili peppers. Last year, the company temporarily halted orders due to the scarcity, which also impacted its Chili Garlic and Sambal Oelek products. Huy Fong's Sriracha sauce, introduced in 1980 by Chinese immigrant David Tran, has gained widespread popularity, gracing the shelves of major retailers like Target and Whole Foods, and earning a devoted fan base since its inception.