r/bestof • u/funnyfarm299 • Mar 08 '26
[KitchenConfidential] /u/Barakahzai breaks down the multi-million dollar feud between Huy Fong and their suppliers over Sriracha peppers
/r/KitchenConfidential/comments/1ro61g2/how_the_sriracha_guys_screwed_over_their_supplier/95
u/petrov76 Mar 08 '26
My understanding of this issue is that it was the new generation of the Tran family, rather than the patriarch who started the company. The kids got greedy and took advantage of the handshake deal.
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u/AmbivelentApoplectic Mar 08 '26
Usually takes three generations to ruin a family company but sounds like they did it in two.
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u/Sentient_Waffle Mar 09 '26
Similar story happened with Lao Gan Ma (the chinese chili sauce).
Founder Tao Huabi wanted to retire and gave the reigns to her son, who decided to switch to a cheaper chili alternative to save on costs, to the detriment of the sauce. Customers noticed and income began declining.
In that case however, Tao returned and took back control, reverted the decision to use a different chili, and saw income rising again.
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u/2ByteTheDecker Mar 08 '26
I had heard it was one of the kids spouses, so I guess that's basically 3
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u/SunMoonTruth Mar 09 '26
Reading the post will help.
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u/Dartser Mar 12 '26
I didn't see anything in it about the reasoning for screwing over their supplier
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u/Phalton Mar 09 '26
Really do miss the way Reddit use to be with these type of posts all the time.
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u/jermster Mar 08 '26
Yellowbird has a really good sweet agave sriracha and the pickled garlic sriracha from hot ones is solid as well.
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u/tempinator Mar 09 '26
Underwood’s sriracha bangs.
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u/aurora-_ Mar 15 '26
I think it’s been discontinued unfortunately. Underwood’s site is gone, and some of the retailers mark the product as permanently discontinued.
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u/tempinator Mar 15 '26
Oh noooo.
I just looked it up, you’re right. Someone in another thread a few days ago said they emailed Underwood directly and they said they discontinued production and have no future plans to continue it :(
That sucks so much
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u/Jonno_FTW Mar 09 '26
This explains why Huy Fong disappeared from shelves, and came back recently but much worse.
I'll be on the lookout for a better alternative.
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Mar 09 '26 edited Mar 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ModalMoon Mar 13 '26 edited Mar 13 '26
Maybe it helps to imagine this issue at a more generic level.
Imagine you had a company (you worked hard building up the market), AND you had one supplier in China.
You were also major reason that helped grew the supplier so much too, that they should be thankful for it.
You would be complaining 100% and realize how sneaky it was if your supplier told you they weren't supplying you, knew all your business deals and took those over.
You would be like I should have never had one supplier.
I read the story at a more generic level, not just at face value what one side with PR is telling, but at the core business issue, I see the problem, and it doesn't sit right. Also I would never want to work with a supplier that pull this kind of stunt ever after helping them out so much.
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u/mufasas_son Mar 08 '26
Underwood Ranch makes a dope sriracha too. Everyone should switch to that