Have you ever heard of Sriracha? The spicy but hint of sweet sauce that you may have added to some of your favorite dishes? Well, the company Huy Fong Foods has come out with a statement stating that they will temporarily stop production of the favorite condiment until Labor Day. According to the company, the red jalapeno peppers they use are more green than they should be, altering the product and the taste.  

The root of this problem stems from Mexico’s lack of water, where the red chilies are grown. The droughts that are happening in Mexico, not only affect the chilies and other crops but the communities too. Because of this problem, the water that’s used for agriculture is being limited and people have to limit the amount of water they use. Will this environmental challenge be the downfall of the famous company? This has not been the first time the multi-million dollar company has faced this problem.

Picture of Sriracha sauce produced at the Huy Fong Foods factory in Irwindale, Calif., in 2013. (Nick  Ut/AP) 

SOURCES:  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/food/2024/05/08/sriracha-shortage-climate-change-drought mexico/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/dining/huy-fong-sriracha-shortage.html https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/05/03/sriracha-hot-sauce-shortage-huy-fong foods/73547924007/