From NPR
Sriracha hot sauce maker Huy Fong Foods has been tussling with the city council of Irwindale, Calif., near Los Angeles, for months now over whether the factory emits spicy smells that harm the neighbors. There’s been legal action and suggested fixes, but also pleas from other cities for the company to consider moving there.
Sriracha chili sauce is produced at the Huy Fong Foods factory in Irwindale, Calif. CEO David Tran has been at odds with the local city council over the smells emitted by the sauce factory. Nick Ut, AP
David Tran, the CEO of Huy Fong, says he escaped from Vietnam almost 35 years ago to be free of the communist government there and its many intrusions.
“Today, I feel almost the same. Even now, we live in [the] U.S.A., and my feeling, the government, not a big difference,” Tran says.
Irwindale’s city attorney, Fred Galante, says the city loves having the cult condiment factory, but must pay attention to the health of residents.
“It’s difficult to tell a resident that suffers from asthma or their child that suffers from asthma ‘sorry, we do not want to be considered business-unfriendly; just keep your child indoors,’ ” Galante says.
It’s a tough call, because Sriracha is a glamorous commodity. Bon Appetit named it one of its favorite foods last year. Chili-heads began to hoard it when it looked like Huy Fong might be forced to stop making it.
Food writer Andrea Nguyen says Huy Fong Sriracha appeals to a certain palate.
“For people who are seeking to turn their bland food into bold food very quickly, the Huy Fong stuff will definitely do it,” Nguyen says.
The Huy Fong stuff is now an $80 million business, made in a 600,000 square foot plant.
Tran designed the plant to be self sufficient. The peppers are ground here and stored in huge plastic tubs manufactured on site. The sauce is mixed and bottled on site. Even the machines are repaired on site.
Read the full story from NPR.
