On Monday, "Sriracha delegations" from Texas journeyed to California in an attempt to convince the company to expand its operations out of state, the Texas Tribune reported.
The visit comes after an ongoing between the makers of Sriracha, Huy Fong Foods, and the city government of Irwindale, Calif., which is planning to vote this week on whether or not the Sriracha factory is a "public nuisance."
The Tribune reported that the growing popularity of Sriracha and the legal battle the California factory has faced might push the company toward Texas, but the hot sauce company could face difficulty with harvesting enough chile peppers in the Lone Star State.
Huy Fong Foods "works with a single pepper grower, Underwood Farms, and expects to get 58,000 tons of fresh chile peppers this season. In 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas produced only 8,000 tons of chile peppers. ... And most of the chile peppers grown in Texas are green; Huy Fong exclusively uses red chile peppers."
State Rep. Hubert Vo, D-Houston, told the San Antonio Express-News that any relocation by the sauce maker out of state would be a "last resort," but the possibility of expanding to Texas is still on the table.
Hopefully, unlike the residents of Irwindale, Calif., Texans won't mind the smell of the popular condiment.
Sen. Ted Cruz has voiced his support for the move.
#Sriracha may not be welcome in California, but you𠆝 be welcomed with open arms and eager taste buds in Texas: http://t.co/2WZrNlwkNj
