The Heartwarming History of Sriracha Chili Sauce and the Humble Wishes of the Man Who Created It

In a heartwarming episode of Today I Found Out, host Simon Whistler explained the origins and history of the legendary Sriracha chili sauce by Huy Fong Foods, the origins of the iconic rooster on the bottle, the number of knockoffs being made by big companies due to a lack of trademark, despite an unchanging market price and multiple offers to buy the company that were turned down due to the humble wishes of the man who created the chili sauce.

When once asked why he was seemingly so against maximizing profits on his product, a frustrated Tran reiterated that his only goal is to sell hot sauce to those who want it, and that businesses that approach him ‘are never interested in the product, only in the profits’ ….he has no interest in making business deals with them, regardless of how much money it might make him. …his simple dream ‘was never to become a billionaire.’ But rather, ‘to make enough fresh chili sauce so that everyone who wants Huy Fong can have it’. Nothing more.

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.