Why did Sriracha disappear from the stores?

[Hektor]

Sriracha, Huy Fong Foods’ iconic fiery-red chili-garlic sauce, had risen to become the stuff of business legend. That spicy, slightly sweet, good-on-everything sauce, in the instantly recognizable bottle with its white rooster emblem and bright green nozzle, was the brainchild of David Tran, who had first devised the recipe and sold the stuff in L.A. in 1980 as a Vietnamese refugee starting a new life for his family. The green-tipped bottles of Huy Fong Food’s Sriracha could be found in one in 10 American kitchens and on the International Space Station.

 

Craig Underwood, a fourth-generation California farmer and owner of Underwood Ranches supplied all Huy Fong’s chilies, and Tran was Underwood Ranches’ only pepper buyer.

 

An epic fallout between that two left millions without their favorite hot sauce.

 

https://fortune.com/2024/01/30/sriracha-shortage-huy-fong-foods-tabasco-underwood-ranches/

 

 

 

[schin]

I read this and also, saw it in stores. Just don't know how to "play" this in financial instruments.

[Blugolds11]

Heard about this also, but then also have seen it in multiple stores, additionally there are several suppliers that offer alternatives, for instance Trader Joe’s sells an alternative, to the Siracha purist, perhaps its not spot on, but for someone like myself that uses it on eggs occasionally or other things, it’s certainly close enough. I do find it interesting that it has a cult following, including people dressing upo for Halloween as Siracha, and kids wearing t-shirts with the chicken logo on it. 

[gfp]

We use a lot of hot sauce in my household and Huy Fong Sriracha is still not available in stores down here.  We have been buying the products directly from Underwood Ranches, the grower that Huy Fong tried to replace.  The Sriracha is slightly spicier but works just fine for us.  We also use a Sriracha out of Thailand under the Polar brand name that is very good but sweeter than the Underwood Ranches.  We still have Huy Fong Sambal Olek in our fridge but the Underwood Sambal is also very good.  One of my friends loves the yellow Trader Joe's "sriracha."  We don't have any of that so far.  Just say NO to Tabasco.  I don't think anybody actually wants Tabasco I think it is just ubiquitous and well distributed.  I even know some McIlhenny family members and still won't touch the stuff.  Maybe the green or chipotle but never the original.  Definitely not their "sriracha" product - blech.

[Hektor]

1 hour ago, gfp said:

Huy Fong Sriracha is still not available in stores down here

Huy Fong has started to reappear on the shelves, particularly in Asian stores. It’s unclear if their brand is now impaired relative to what it was before. It amazes me that these two managed to kill a partnership that was minting money for decades.