Huy Fong Foods has confirmed the cause of its product shortage to be severe drought conditions affecting chili pepper fields across the Central Valley of California and in central and eastern New Mexico, Yahoo! News reported.
“It’s a crop thing and something that we can’t predict,” Executive Operations Officer Donna Lam told the Los Angeles Times of the shortage. “It’s been happening since last year and this year is a lot worse, and that’s what put us back.”
The news comes two months after Huy Fong Foods company announced a product shortage, affirming that the rising temperatures and lack of rain is out of its control. The California-based, Sriracha sauce company specializing in making sriracha, chili garlic and sambal oelek, revealed that the drought has caused a worse shortage than the one experienced in July 2020.
The drought in Mexico is reported to be less severe, but still considered severe in comparison to other parts of the country. According to the National Drought Mitigation Center, some northern areas have ranged from “severe” and “extreme” to “exceptional” conditions.
“According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the worst of the drought was found across the Central Valley of California and in central and eastern New Mexico, where the drought is classified as ‘exceptional,’” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said. “Outside of those areas, most of the rest of California and New Mexico is in severe drought.”
Although the impact experienced by Huy Fong Foods was caused by its heavy dependence on Mexico's field for resources, Lam confirmed that the company is surviving off of numerous suppliers in other regions.
According to a recent press release, the shortage is evident on U.S store shelves, and in countless restaurants. Numerous shoppers have reported their inability to find the sauce in any local store.
The duration of the weather issue remains unclear, though weather experts warn the condition could persist, and even worsen, in upcoming weeks.
As a result of its inability to fulfill demands, all orders placed on or after April 19 will be scheduled after Labor Day in early September. The products will be delivered in consecutive order.