Brace Yourself For The Impending Sriracha Shortage
So long, old friend.
Like an athlete cut down in their prime by an injury, Sriracha is being stopped in its tracks just as it was hitting its peak as a trend ingredient: a California court has ordered a partial shutdown of the hot sauce’s California factory. The problem stems from concerned Irwindale locals, who sued the factory over Sriracha fume-related health complaints including headaches, runny noses, and even nosebleeds.
Though this’ll likely be resolved out of court in due time, even a temporary shutdown could cause a lot of problems for the company. As Atlantic Cities points out, their specialized process—which involves millions of pounds of chilies that need to be used during a specific time of year—could throw off production for the entire next year’s supply of spicy sauce. Seems like as good a time as any to do a little light stockpiling, no?
Follow Virginia K. Smith on Twitter @vksmith.
