Supply chain challenges have left Huy Fong Sriracha customers paying up to $150 for a single 17-ounce bottle on eBay as of Friday morning.
Huy Fong Foods has been pointing to a scarcity of chile pepper supply for several years now, which has led to third-party resellers punching up prices, reported AP News. The sriracha, which used to go for under $5 or $10 a bottle, is now selling for shocking amounts in some listings posted to sites with vast third-party marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Walmart.
Ads for a single 17-ounce bottle on eBay stretched from around $20 to a whopping $150. Huy Fong continues to have difficulties with shortages of raw materials. (RELATED: Food Security Isn’t Being Tracked, According To Scientists. Here’s Why That’s A Huge Issue)
When will this nightmare be over pic.twitter.com/0P3gRjCAiY
— Max Chavez (@maxeschavez) July 9, 2023
“Because we do not sell directly to retail/market levels, we cannot determine when the product will hit shelves again and/or who currently has the product in stock,” Huy Fong said in a prepared statement. “We are grateful for your continued patience and understanding during this unprecedented inventory shortage.”
“The main culprit here is a shortage of their primary ingredient, the red jalapeño chile pepper,” David Ortega, a food economist and associate professor at Michigan State University told AP News.
These peppers are typically grown under irrigation, which draws water from the Colorado River. The river, however, has reached unprecedented low levels over recent years, reported AP News.
Huy Fong’s troubles with chile supply aren’t new. When the company suspended sales last year, it pointed to a 2020 email warning of a chile pepper shortage, noting that a lack of supply had become more severe due to recent weather conditions. The company sent a similar letter in 2022.
“We had also advised and suggested that your company not ‘promise’ any products to customers unless you have the product in stock,” Huy Fong wrote. “Currently, due to weather