What Really Caused the Sriracha Shortage? (2024)

https://fortune.com/2024/01/30/sriracha-shortage-huy-fong-foods-tabasco-underwood-ranches/

19•indigodaddy•2h ago

Comments

drob518•2h ago

Can’t we all just get along?

Loughla•1h ago

For short periods of time, yes. Over longer time spans, absolutely not.

Source: all of human history.

mcphage•1h ago

Relevant xkcd: https://xkcd.com/592/

r0ckarong•2h ago

Paranoid old men accuse each other of trying to rip each other off after decades of successful partnership. Sad.

indigodaddy•1h ago

From what I've been reading, Huy Fong Sriracha hasn't been the same since. My bottles last a very long time, so haven't had too many new bottles since 2017, but I can't say that my likely unrefined pallette has noticed a difference though..? Haven't tried the Underwood version yet either.

jmpman•1h ago

Underwood’s version is different, as if they weren’t trying to make a duplicate, which is unfortunate. Had they made an exact duplicate, the market would have pivoted fast to Underwood. Sriracha hasn’t been the same since. I no longer buy it. Ruined his company and product over a few additional pennies he didn’t need.

joezydeco•38m ago

Is the Tabasco replica any good?

some-guy•8m ago

I buy them often. I haven’t noticed a huge difference between the two and enough time has passed that I have forgotten what the original tastes like.

oarla•1h ago

Handshake agreements will most likely fall apart in time due to changing needs and personalities. This is why contracts are absolutely needed, especially for the size of business Sriracha was involved in.

Except for the court ruling of 13 million in favor of Underwood Ranch, the article isn’t very clear in the amount by which the 2 companies disagreed so difficult to say if it was purely a clash of the 2 owner’s personalities or some other fundamental change in market that brought this sudden schism.

steezeburger•1h ago

It seemed pretty clear to me that Tran started looking for cheaper peppers elsewhere first.

indigodaddy•1h ago

It wasn't that clear to me. Do you mean by the fact that he started the Chilico company and tried to hire Underwood's manager? That did seem a little shady, but it just seemed like there aren't enough details out in the open to know for sure. Although I suppose the 13M judgement against Huy Fong supports the case.

bigstrat2003•6m ago

That was certainly my impression from the article as well.

washadjeffmad•54m ago

Footnote:

This article appears in the February/March 2024 issue of Fortune with the headline “Hot Mess.”

zackmorris•49m ago

Back in the 90s when I was in college, my friend brought back Sambal Asli hot sauce packets from Indonesia after holiday breaks. I think he said it meant "real sauce" but I just looked it up and it might mean "original sauce".

The funny thing about it is that you build up a tolerance to how hot it is. So the first time you try it, a few drops feel like your face is burning off. By the end of the semester, we were pouring full packets on each slice of pizza.

I just looked and I can't find the (ketchup sized) packets online. So I don't have anything to recognize the brand from. If anyone knows, please share! They are at least as addictive as Sriracha IMHO, should there ever be another shortage.

lazylizard•19m ago

one of the funniest foods ever..a vietnamese dude making a fake thai chilli sauce with mexican chillies in usa...

indigodaddy•16m ago

Sounds like you don't care for Sriracha? :)

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