A Texas representative has issued a public plea for Huy Fong Foods officials to move their hot sauce factories to the Lone Star State.
State rep. Jason Villalba released an official statement on the Sriracha company's plight just days after the Los Angeles suburb of Irwindale deemed the factory's smell of spicy chili peppers a public nuisance.
"I am astonished and dismayed by the recent actions of the Irwindale City Council to further hinder the operations of local small business, Huy Fong Foods," the Houston Press reported Villalba wrote in his statement. "As a longtime fan of Sriracha, I am deeply troubled that one of the fastest growing and universally beloved condiments in the world - made right here in the USA - could face such blatant obstructionism by a local city government."
Citizens of Irwindale have been locked in a legal battle with Huy Fong Foods since October 2013, when local reports of "burning eyes, irritated throats and headaches" started surfacing. Some residents said the stench of fresh, ground chiles wafting from the factory caused people living nearby to move all outdoor activities inside. Some vacated their homes until the putrid fumes subsided.
In an April 10 ruling, the Irwindale City Council voted unanimously that the hot sauce makers had 90 days to find a way to diminish the scent.
"The evidence that the factory is emitting fumes that reach the level of a public nuisance is limited at best," Villalba's statement continued. "The city council has issued its proclamations based on only a handful of residents' complaints - not widespread irritation. Most disconcerting is the news that the first person to file a formal complaint is actually a relative of a city official. Simply put, this would not happen in Texas. I implore the Tran Family: just meet with us. Let us tell you what is possible by moving your operations to Texas. You will not be disappointed."
No word from Huy Fong's camp on a response for Villalba just yet, according to the Houston Press.
Sriracha's factory was placed on temporary, partial shutdown in November 2013, then narrowly avoided another closure by the city in February of this year. A judge will ultimately decide whether to shut the factory's doors for good during a trial scheduled for November.
