The popular hot sauce, Sriracha, seems to be in a bit of hot water.  Since Huy Fong Foods, the company which makes the sauce, moved its production plant to Irwindale, California, a year or two ago, the sales and popularity of the sauce have been exploding.  Aside from the new cookbooks, YouTube videos, and potato chip flavors inspired by Sriracha, the company made $85 million in revenue last year.

Not everything has been going well for the spicy sauce, however.  Late last month, the city of Irwindale filed a lawsuit against Huy Fong Foods in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, stating that the odors and fumes emanating from the Sriracha production factory have been irritating the city’s residents, causing burning eyes, irritated throats, and headaches.  These complaints predominately come during a roughly three month period, when the plant processes tons of jalapeno peppers and garlic, which is used to create the sauce for the rest of the year.

“Given how long it’s going on, we had no choice but to institute this action,” Irwindale’s attorney said.  The city has asked the California court to order a temporary restraining order, forcing the facility to stop production until the odor issues are resolved, and it does seem the two parties have negotiated a little.  Huy Fong Foods, it seems, is open to the idea of working to reduce the smell, but are certainly not willing to go as far as the city demands in installing a $600,000 filtration system.

The hearing before the court, which was held last week, however, did not go the city’s way.  Judge Robert O’Brien stated “You’re asking for a very radical order on 24-hour notice,” essentially telling the city that their request for the restraining order has come too soon.  Judge O’Brien rescheduled the hearing to be for November 22, allowing the Sriracha plant to keep chugging along in the meantime.

Given that the three month season the plant processes the peppers will be over before November 22, it seems a temporary restraining order, even if granted, may not affect the company too much—even still, there has been an outcry of support for the Sriracha makers.  For example, Philadelphia Councilman James Kenney suggested the Sriracha plant move to Philly, additionally stating “ever since we learned the global supply of your ambrosial Sriracha was in jeopardy due to a lawsuit . . . we have been holding our collective breath.”

Though Kenney said this jokingly, it does seem amidst the lawsuit, Sriracha has many, continuing fans.