Sriracha sauce shortage causes price of bottles to rise up to $70

Bottles of Sriracha hot sauce are selling for ridiculous prices amid a shortage of the hugely popular condiment.

Hipsters the world despair, one of the major food staples has a shortage.

Not avocados, don't panic, but Sriracha hot sauce is facing some difficult times following a shortage of ingredients.

And not just any ingredient either, but the chillis themselves - so quite important.

Now bottles of the condiment are being listed on eBay for whopping prices.

Twitter / @_ruthbetold

Bottles are now going for as much as $70 a pop on sites like eBay, as per Fox Business.

Nonetheless, it turns out that such is the almost cult-like status of sriracha that its fans say they would be willing to pay it 'in a pinch'.

A representative of Huy Fong Foods, which manufactures the sauce, told the outlet: "Unfortunately, we can confirm that there is an unprecedented shortage of our products.

"We are still endeavouring to resolve this issue that has be caused by several spiraling events, including unexpected crop failure from the spring chili harvest.

"We hope for a fruitful fall season and thank our customers for their patience and continued support during this difficult time."

And fans of the sauce are nonetheless keen to keep their stocks replenished.

Caleb Chen, of Reno, Nevada, said: "It's a sauce with cult status and anytime there are supply chain issues, the market goes crazy.

eBay

"I am having a hard time finding the sauce now but that's why I'm glad I have a backup stock. I'll be able to ride out this wave of high sriracha prices, just like the last one."

Huy Fong sources its chillis from farms in California, New Mexico, and Mexico but droughts have severely impacted the crops.

Such is the level of the shortage that people are now hoarding the sauce.

One person wrote on Twitter: "If you see any left in your local Asian supermarket with the green cap bottle, hoard them like toilet paper during Covid."

Given that stockpiling toilet paper actually contributed to the shortage as people started panic-buying, this may not be the best idea.

Huy Fong Sriracha is the second most popular hot sauce in the USA, with the most popular being Frank's RedHot. Fortunately for fans of hot sauce, there are plenty of independent manufacturers, including others who make their own sriracha sauces.

So, no need to stockpile just yet.

UNILAD has reached out to eBay for comment.