In an email to customers sent in April, Huy Fong Foods, the company that makes Sriracha, indicated that there would be a short-term pause on Sriracha production due to weather conditions affecting chili peppers, according to NPR.
The news caused many to panic-buy the product, further straining the supply. Prices for restaurant orders have already seen a resulting price increase; Michael Csau told NPR, “Usually when I bought one case [of Sriracha], it was roughly around $30 to $32. Now it’s up to $50, almost double the price. If it keeps going up, we cannot afford it.”
The red jalapeño peppers used in Sriracha suffered a crop failure in northern Mexico, according to the National Autonomous University of Mexico’s Guillermo Murray Tortarolo, who studies climate and ecosystems. These peppers are grown only during the first four months of the year and require controlled conditions, namely irrigation, which has become nearly impossible because of droughts in the area.
Other foods in the region such as avocadoes, tomatoes, and meats may be impacted by droughts and La Niña events. Tortarolo told NPR that it is likely that climate change factors into crop performance but noted that further study is required. Full Story
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Image: Huy Fong Foods