Sriracha fans have been hurting all summer since one of the world’s largest producers of the popular hot sauce, Huy Fong Foods, announced a major supply shortage. Due to severe weather conditions affecting chili pepper crops, the makers of the beloved red sauce in a green-capped bottle with the rooster had to halt production.
Like many other companies, Huy Fong was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and has been struggling to recover ever since. Yet, the weather was at the root of the most recent shortage, which began in April.
Huy Fong said in a press release from June they expected to start production again in September. Unfortunately, no news confirming this has come out, and the company’s website and socials remain quiet on the matter. At this point, it’s unclear when the beloved hot sauce will hit shelves again.
While Huy Fong may have been the first to publicly distribute the popular Thai condiment in the United States, it isn’t the only producer of sriracha, which is simply a mix of red chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. If you’re looking to satisfy your sriracha fix, we found a number of tasty alternatives you could try.
When looking at Trader Joe’s Sriracha packaging, you may need to do a double-take. With its white ink drawing and a green cap, it’s clear where they drew inspiration from. Well-known among its shopper for quality products, Trader Joe’s version of sriracha is a little less spicy than Huy Fongs’ but is also said to have a more pronounced garlic flavor.
You may or may not be aware that Huy Fong has other products other than its famous sriracha hot sauce. Its Sambal Oelek Chili Paste has the same composition of sriracha minus the sugar which really makes the heat of the chilis more pronounced. A lot of OG sriracha fans have claimed they love this chili paste even better. Plus, a small scoop goes a long way.
Underwood Ranches has close ties to Huy Fong. In fact, it used to be its exclusive pepper supplier until a spicy lawsuit caused them to split. Now Underwood Ranches produce its own sriracha sauce using those iconic red jalapeños packed with a blend of bold flavors.
Fix Sriracha sauces are all natural and farm-fresh. Just like the beloved original, Fix Sriracha sauce teams with punchy garlic flavor, bright vinegar notes, and a salty finish that pairs perfectly with the heat from the pepper. It’s also available in a variety of flavors including Original, Green (which includes lemongrass), Habanero Ginger, and Hot.
Melinda’s already produces a number of popular hot sauces, so logic stands their sriracha is worth a try. Crafted from fermented red jalapeño peppers and garlic, the company says their sauce “delivers a true umami flavor” that is neither too hot nor too sweet.