Sriracha Company Countersues California City For Harassment

The city of Irwindale, California, where the popular Sriracha sauce is produced, has sued Huy Fong twice in the past three years. After the second lawsuit was filed, Huy Fong Foods is now countersuing the city for harassment.

In 2013, Irwindale filed the first lawsuit against the company for producing strong, eye-watering aromas throughout the surrounding community. The city dropped the case when health officials found no violations and Huy Fong promised via a written contract to solve the smell issue, according to Munchies. The city then filed a new lawsuit against the hot sauce company this year stating that the company has been late on filing its taxes, seeking $427,085 in damages.

Huy Fong has countersued, stipulating that at this point, this city is unnecessarily harassing the company, which is especially to be condemned because it provides the community with free hot sauce and events, as well as providing employment for dozens of local workers.

"Huy Fong Foods has employed local residents and held job fairs for local workers for the past three years," the countersuit stated, according to Munchies. "The factory is a popular tourist destination and brings visitors and revenue into the city—so popular, in fact, that Huy Fong Foods added two trams to transport visitors around the plant and even opened a gift shop."