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It’s been more than a decade since sriracha took the United States by storm, as the hot sauce gave bacon a run for its money with The Moment it had in the early 2010s.
While that term technically refers to a generic condiment built on a foundation of chili peppers, garlic, and vinegar, it’s essentially synonymous with the red liquid contained in the rooster-emblazoned and green-capped bottles produced by Huy Fong Foods in California.
That company has been producing its signature sriracha since founder David Chan perfected his recipe in the 1970s, but it’s also hit a few road bumps along the way—including a lawsuit that forced Huy Fong to fork over $23 million to the farm it had contracted to grow its jalapeños and another filed by the city of Irwindale over the stench the factory emits.
Last year, Huy Fong encountered another headache in the form of a drought in Mexico that resulted in the brand warning the retailers who carry its product it was gearing up for a sriracha shortage that could prevent it from meeting consumer demand.
It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but according to CNN, those fears have now been realized thanks to the sriracha black market that has seemingly emerged as more and more people struggle to track down a source for their beloved “rooster sauce.”
The outlet reports resellers are engaging in some impressive price gouging on eBay and Amazon, as one seller on the former listed a 28-ounce bottle for a whopping $70 while another on the latter is peddling two-packs of the same size for $124.
As alluded to above, there are plenty of other brands that produce their own version of sriracha currently available at an infinitely more reasonable price, but if you’re unwilling to abandon the gold standard that is Huy Fong, you’re probably going to be in for a rude surprise if you go to re-up.