The Sriracha Shortage Is Leading To Wildly Expensive Bottle Prices On eBay
In April, we advised people to stock up on Sriracha, as sales of Huy Fong Foods' famous bottles might be going from red hot to chilly. The decline is due to availability shortages caused by weather conditions that have affected the growth and harvest yields of the chili peppers used to make the hot sauce. The problem started last year with droughts in Mexico, where the chili peppers are grown. Per an April statement quoted in the Los Angeles Times, Huy Fong Foods said it has a "limited supply that continues to affect our production."
Fast forward to now: Huy Fong Foods' Sriracha prices are skyrocketing on eBay. For instance, one listing is selling two 28-ounce bottles of hot sauce for $71.99 (plus $7.99 shipping). The seller is actually cashing in on the product, as 88 customers have already purchased the two-bottle package. Another listing features two 17-ounce bottles for $54.49 ($7.99 shipping is also added). At the time of writing, four sets have sold in the past 24 hours.
Why people are paying astronomical prices for Sriracha
There are serious Huy Fong Foods Sriracha fans out there for whom no other brand of hot sauce will suffice. A documentary by filmmaker Griffin Hammond chronicled the evolution of and people's growing passion for Sriracha. Hammond told HowStuffWorks the combination of five ingredients — garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar, and chili peppers — creates an undeniable flavor profile for many fans, a direct contrast to hot sauces that only bring heat to the table.
On Twitter, Sriracha lovers are lamenting the shortage. If they knew about the eBay sales, we suspect they might be checking them out and considering purchasing based on their reactions. One Twitter user shared a pic of a Sriracha bottle, captioning it, "I paid $18.50 for this today, can't find these anywhere because of the shortage, I have a top secret spot to get these but they are pricey. This is how much I love Sriracha."
Others who have flocked to eBay to buy Sriracha have opted for smaller portions. For example, one listing for a 1-ounce keychain bottle of "Sriracha2Go" sets the price at $7.80; 731 bottles have already been sold. While cheaper than larger bottles, it's still a steep expense and illustrates the lengths some will go to stay stocked for the duration of the shortage.