PorkChopSandwiches
05-30-2014, 08:30 PM
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Ben Swann spoke with liberty Republican Congressional candidate Art Alas Thursday, discussing the recent events surrounding the Huy Fong Foods factory in Irwindale, California. The battle between Huy Fong Foods and California government officials has sparked national debate about rights of business owners and increasing government regulations.
Sriracha sauce, the widly popular chili sauce made by Huy Fong Foods, was at the center of controversy beginning last fall. Huy Fong Foods was accused by Irwindale residents of causing allergic reactions and discomfort; some said that the factory was emitting a powerfully spicy odor and making people sick. “It feels a little like pepper spray,” said one resident who lived near the factory.
The city of Irwindale then sued Huy Fong Foods and threatened to declare the company a public nuisance. The legal battle became national news, and there was discussion about whether or not Huy Fong Foods would continue its business in California. “Other cities say, ‘Irwindale is not friendly, come to my city,’ ” Huy Fong Foods CEO David Tran said. “Other states say, ‘California is not friendly, come to my state.’ Other countries say, ‘U.S.A. is not friendly, come back here.’ ”
Tran moved to the United States 35 years ago from Vietnam to escape its Communist government, and he started his sriracha manufacturing in a small warehouse in Los Angeles in 1980. Business had been booming for Tran, becoming an $80 million enterprise before the complaints began. In an attempt to solve the issue, Tran installed stronger filters at the factory on two occasions. Tran has long disputed the accusation that the factory’s odor is noxious.
In addition to the lawsuit from Irwindale, Huy Fong Foods was forced by the California Department of Public Health to stop sales of sriracha sauce for 30 days back in December 2013 to ensure food safety due to the sauce being bottled raw. Earlier this month, Tran compared the government in the US to communist Vietnam, saying, “Today, I feel almost the same. Even now, we live in [the] USA, and my feeling, the government, not a big difference.”
The Huy Fong controversy seems to have come to an end, since Irwindale city officials decided to dismiss the lawsuit and no longer push to declare the Huy Fong Foods factory a public nuisance. The decision was made after Tran hosted a tour of his factory with Irwindale officials. “We’re looking forward to being partners for a long, long time,” said Irwindale Mayor Mark Breceda. “We’re almost sorry that this has gone on so long.”
On Ben Swann’s radio program Thursday, Alas discussed what he had experienced in the Huy Fong Foods factory. Alas said that this entire issue began because of 4 complainants, one of whom is a relative of a city council member. “This is just another attack on small business in the area,” said Alas.
Alas mentioned that the Irwindale City Council is under investigation for several issues including alleged misappropriation of funds.
Tran gave Alas a tour of the factory, and Alas said he was unable to smell the overwhelming odor that others had complained about. “After taking a tour, I didn’t see what they were talking about,” Alas said.
Alas told Swann that he had previously asked public officials to tour the factory themselves, but the officials didn’t act on it until this past Tuesday. Alas went on to explain that if Huy Fong Foods had indeed been declared a public nuisance, Tran would have had 90 days to fix the issue to the satisfaction of the city. If the repairs were not sufficient for the city, officials would have stepped in to remedy the situation themselves, with Tran footing the bill for any of their demands.
Ben Swann spoke with liberty Republican Congressional candidate Art Alas Thursday, discussing the recent events surrounding the Huy Fong Foods factory in Irwindale, California. The battle between Huy Fong Foods and California government officials has sparked national debate about rights of business owners and increasing government regulations.
Sriracha sauce, the widly popular chili sauce made by Huy Fong Foods, was at the center of controversy beginning last fall. Huy Fong Foods was accused by Irwindale residents of causing allergic reactions and discomfort; some said that the factory was emitting a powerfully spicy odor and making people sick. “It feels a little like pepper spray,” said one resident who lived near the factory.
The city of Irwindale then sued Huy Fong Foods and threatened to declare the company a public nuisance. The legal battle became national news, and there was discussion about whether or not Huy Fong Foods would continue its business in California. “Other cities say, ‘Irwindale is not friendly, come to my city,’ ” Huy Fong Foods CEO David Tran said. “Other states say, ‘California is not friendly, come to my state.’ Other countries say, ‘U.S.A. is not friendly, come back here.’ ”
Tran moved to the United States 35 years ago from Vietnam to escape its Communist government, and he started his sriracha manufacturing in a small warehouse in Los Angeles in 1980. Business had been booming for Tran, becoming an $80 million enterprise before the complaints began. In an attempt to solve the issue, Tran installed stronger filters at the factory on two occasions. Tran has long disputed the accusation that the factory’s odor is noxious.
In addition to the lawsuit from Irwindale, Huy Fong Foods was forced by the California Department of Public Health to stop sales of sriracha sauce for 30 days back in December 2013 to ensure food safety due to the sauce being bottled raw. Earlier this month, Tran compared the government in the US to communist Vietnam, saying, “Today, I feel almost the same. Even now, we live in [the] USA, and my feeling, the government, not a big difference.”
The Huy Fong controversy seems to have come to an end, since Irwindale city officials decided to dismiss the lawsuit and no longer push to declare the Huy Fong Foods factory a public nuisance. The decision was made after Tran hosted a tour of his factory with Irwindale officials. “We’re looking forward to being partners for a long, long time,” said Irwindale Mayor Mark Breceda. “We’re almost sorry that this has gone on so long.”
On Ben Swann’s radio program Thursday, Alas discussed what he had experienced in the Huy Fong Foods factory. Alas said that this entire issue began because of 4 complainants, one of whom is a relative of a city council member. “This is just another attack on small business in the area,” said Alas.
Alas mentioned that the Irwindale City Council is under investigation for several issues including alleged misappropriation of funds.
Tran gave Alas a tour of the factory, and Alas said he was unable to smell the overwhelming odor that others had complained about. “After taking a tour, I didn’t see what they were talking about,” Alas said.
Alas told Swann that he had previously asked public officials to tour the factory themselves, but the officials didn’t act on it until this past Tuesday. Alas went on to explain that if Huy Fong Foods had indeed been declared a public nuisance, Tran would have had 90 days to fix the issue to the satisfaction of the city. If the repairs were not sufficient for the city, officials would have stepped in to remedy the situation themselves, with Tran footing the bill for any of their demands.