Sriracha lovers will already know – all too well – that there’s been a big hot pepper crop failure in Mexico. For the second year in a row. And ‘South of the border’ is where leading US Sriracha maker Huy Fong usually gets its primary ingredient…
As early as last May, Huy Fong issued its distributors and retailers a solemn notification. The man-ufacturer would be shutting down its recently expanded plant over the summer due to the shortage of peppers.
Another year of ‘drought’
Fans got the word second-hand, through food media including this FFB.
The shortages were expected to show up on retail shelves about now. And with that, some Huy Fong fans pounced on available stocks, hoarding excessive amounts of the stuff. That just human nature, albeit bad behaviour.
The shortages are attributed directly to global warming – all part of the great climate-change ‘shift’ that’s affecting agriculture and consumer food choice world-wide.
Enter, the competition
Huy Fong has one major domestic competitor: Lee Kum Kee. LKK makes a vast range of Asian con-diments and cooking sauces. But it’s ‘star’ product is authentic Thai Sriracha.
LKK gets its peppers from non-Mexican sources. That means it has product to spare. And it’s using some of that ‘surplus’ to try to lure Huy Fong fans away from the leader.
What they’re doing
LKK is promoting a simple new ‘humanitarian’ program designed to come to the rescue of Sriracha lovers who are running out of their fave spicy hit.
According to Foodbeast, consumers who find themselves running low can register at Lee Kum Kee’s SrirachaLove.com for a chance to receive complimentary bottles of Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Chili Sauce and Lee Kum Kee Sriracha Mayo, while supplies last.
“At Lee Kum Kee, we understand high quality ingredients are the key to delectable menus — whether you’re at home or [at] your favorite restaurant,” says Steven Montes, General Manager Retail, at Lee Kum Kee USA. “We recognize it’s critical to keep delicious flavor flowing at all times.”
My take
For those unfamilar with the brand, Lee Kum Kee Sriracha is made without any artificial colors or chemical preservatives, and is vegan, gluten-free and verified non-GMO. LKK’s Sriracha Mayo is a combination of its signature sauce and its own mayo, made with cage-free eggs. In other words, it’s primo stuff…
I applaud LKK for taking competitive advantage of the pepper shortage as a way of elevating its brand profile – and appealing directly to the opposition’s fan base. A gutsy David-and-Goliath move if ever I saw one!
~ Maggie J.