One of the most popular flavors of Funyuns is Flamin’ Hot, more commonly known as Hot Funyuns.
Unfortunately, the popular snack is yet another snack of many that has become difficult to find.
The question many are asking though is if Hot Funyuns are discontinued or just scarce due to other reasons.
Many fans have taken to internet sites, like Twitter, Reddit, and Google to find information from Frito-Lay on the topic.
Are Hot Funyuns Discontinued?
No, Hot Funyuns have not been discontinued.
There is no evidence on Funyuns’ website or social media pages that the snack has been discontinued.
Additionally, the Funyuns Twitter page recently tweeted a picture of Flamin’ Hot Funyuns in October 2022 with the caption “Enhanced”.
ENHANCE pic.twitter.com/f4YnmsebMD
— Funyuns (@TheRealFunyuns) October 5, 2022
Rather, if fans are experiencing a shortage of Hot Funyuns in their local stores it may be due to a variety of other reasons such as supply chain shortages, production challenges, and demand.
Demand for snacks, like Funyuns, has increased in the last few years as more customers have been staying home as part of the now common hybrid work model.
The rumors of Funyuns hot flavor being discontinued continue, and to help ease fans’ concerns the company stated on their page that the disappearance was because the products were in such high demand that retailers couldn’t keep them in stock.
y’all chill, I’m still around. just gettin’ snatched up as soon as people find me. didn’t mean to make you worry 💛 pic.twitter.com/lM5SLJAXvA
— Funyuns (@TheRealFunyuns) August 19, 2021
Rumors Of Discontinuation
Reddit users can always be counted on to provide information to the masses on current events and happenings, although it is not necessarily accurate.
Many Reddit users have been looking for Hot Funyuns for several years, with this post going back to 2019 with the user saying they had searched their local Publix, Walgreens, CVS, and local markets all with no luck.
Additionally, Twitter users continue to post regularly asking if Hot Funyuns have been discontinued.
WHY AM I JUST FINDING OUT HOT FUNYUNS ARE BEING DISCONTINUED 💔
— yuli❦ (@yuliiboo) July 20, 2021
they discontinued hot funyuns… no one talk to me. 💔
— kass (@KasandraGalvan1) July 16, 2021
I can’t believe they actually discontinued Hot Funyuns 😪
— r i n a (@Rina_p08) October 3, 2021
they really discontinued hot funyuns.. 😭
— christine.🦋 (@chrxstnee_) August 4, 2021
The tweets above are filled with disappointed comments, with some users saying that their life hasn’t been the same since learning that the popular snack was being discontinued.
The excess of social media comments from questioning users may also hype Hot Funyuns fans up and cause them to believe rumors without searching for the facts.
Funyuns does not appear to respond to many of their fans’ social media posts or comments, which may also cause fans to wonder if the lack of a response to the topic means that the rumors of discontinuation are true.
Why Is It Difficult To Find Hot Funyuns?
With the increase in demand for both Hot Funyuns and the Original flavor comes an increase in production requirements and capabilities to attempt to keep up with demand.
Frito-Lay went to efforts to improve their manufacturing lines within their Texas plants to produce more of the product.
The company also increased its warehouse capacity to allow for more storage of Original and Hot Funyuns.
However, with the sharp increase in demand, it is still difficult for the company to keep up with production and many retailers are experiencing the effects of not being able to keep their shelves stocked.
Additionally, in the last several years the world has experienced unforeseen events like the Coronavirus pandemic which has affected the production capabilities of a variety of companies including Frito-Lay.
Products like wheat, soy, and oils which are commonly used ingredients suddenly became scarce as farmers dealt with an increase in gas prices and an inability to keep up with demand.
According to the Consumer Brand Association (CBA), the top 10 most expensive ingredients in 2022 include:
- Eggs – 120%
- Butter – 74%
- Diesel – 66%
- Dry Pasta – 26%
- Cotton – 21%
- Almond – 18%
- Paperboard – 16%
- Corn – 37%
- Wheat 15%
Additionally, packaging materials like cardboard and aluminum increased in demand as more people stayed home.
Aluminum manufacturers were unable to anticipate the demand, and there has since been a shortage.
Another major player in supply chain shortages is the difficulty in transporting goods across the country.
Shipping ports and trucking companies alike have been experiencing a shortage of workers, an increase in energy prices and gasoline, and strict guidelines that affect their ability to deliver products to retailers on a timely basis.
Transportation problems are a large factor in the difficulties that many companies are now experiencing.
The CBA reported that for every truck available to transport goods, there are at least 16 shipments that are still waiting for transport.
It is estimated that 80,000 truckers are needed to keep up with current demand, but in January 2022 only 7,500 new truckers were reported.
This is despite the increase in salaries of nearly 5 times the historical average.
All of these factors play a role in grocery inflation, which is affecting Americans all across the nation.
What Flavors Of Funyuns Are There?
Funyuns currently offers two flavors: the Original Funyuns and Funyuns Flamin’ Hot.
The Original Funyuns were released in 1969 by Frito-Lay and have remained a steadfast flavor with a strong fanbase.
Flamin’ Hot Funyuns were released in 2007 and have been widely popular ever since.
The company does on occasion release specialty flavors for a limited time or until sold out.
Fans likely believed Hot Funyuns would be discontinued because ultimately, Funyuns has been known to discontinue the majority of their flavors in the past.
Three examples of past flavors include Chile & Limon, Wasabi, and Steakhouse Onion.
There is limited social media involvement involving these three flavors, which leads us to believe that they were discontinued due to lower demand when compared to the Original and Flamin’ Hot flavors.
Celebrity Partnerships To Boost The Brand
In May of 2022 Frito-Lay partnered with a few celebrities to create variety packs of the star’s favorite Frito-Lay products.
These celebrity partnerships allowed fans to experience a snacking experience that was enjoyed by their favorite celebrity and enabled them to feel like a celebrity, even if for just a short period.
Mario Lopez was one celebrity that Frito-Lay partnered with to create an “ICONIC Box”.
The flavors Mario selected include Funyuns Flamin’ Hot, Doritos Spicy Nacho Cheese, and Cheetos Flamin Hot Limon.
Martha Stewart was the second celebrity partner and included Ruffles Original Potato Chips, Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion, and Ruffles Cheddar & Sour Cream Potato Chips in her box.
Additionally, at the time of this campaign fans had the chance to win a limited-edition Frito-Lay Variety Pack “ICONIC Boxes”.
Winners could receive a specialty box designed by Mario Lopez and Martha Stewart, in addition to their snack variety pack as described above.
Mario’s “ICONIC Box” encourages fans to turn up the music and the spice level, and includes:
- Variety snack pack of Funyuns Flamin’ Hot, Doritos Spicy Nacho Cheese Chips, and Cheetos Flamin Hot Limon
- Mario’s favorite hot sauce
- A pair of wireless headphones and a one-year subscription to Spotify Premium
- “Unbox the Icons” branded bucket hat, chip clips, and pins
- Fujifilm instant camera with refill cartridges
Martha’s “ICONIC Box” was designed to elevate the winner’s dining experience and includes:
- Variety snack pack of Ruffles Original Potato Chips, Lay’s Sour Cream & Onion Chips, Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream Chips
- $150 gift card to purchase gourmet steak
- A signed copy of Martha’s American Food cookbook
- Sur La Table canister of gourmet sea salt
- Cooking Class voucher for two people
- “Unbox the Icons” branded apron, chip clips, and pins
The brand is also known for partnering with R&B singer Mark Morrison in a television commercial, where he shows viewers how miscellaneous everyday moments can be improved when enjoying a Frito-Lay snack.
Who Produces Funyuns?
Funyuns are produced by Frito-Lay, which began when C.E. Doolin and Herman W. Lay merged their companies to form Frito-Lay, Inc.
Eventually, Frito-Lay, Inc. merged with Pepsi-Cola to form PepsiCo.
The company operates over 30 manufacturing plants across the United States to provide its fans with their favorite snacks, like Hot Funyuns.
What Are Hot Funyuns Made Of?
Hot Funyuns are known for their crispy texture and their seasoned onion flavor.
It is a spicy treat for everybody to enjoy.
Smartlabel reports on the nutrition and ingredients of Funyuns, as provided to them by the Funyuns brand.
It’s important to note that product information can change at any time.
Therefore customers should refer to the package directly for the most up-to-date information regarding nutrition, ingredients, and allergens.
Funyuns ingredients include:
- Enriched Corn Meal – Corn Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, and Folic Acid
- Vegetable Oil – Corn, Canola, or Sunflower Oils
- Salt
- Corn Starch
- Corn Flour
- Buttermilk
- Sugar
- Monosodium Glutamate
- Yeast Extract
- Cheddar Cheese
- Artificial Color
- Citric Acid
- Whey
- Onion Powder and Extracts
- Maltodextrin
- Lactose
- Garlic Powder
- Gum Arabic
The salt and onion powder are the main ingredients that give them the deliciously addicting taste that fans know and love.
Funyuns do contain buttermilk and are not dairy free.
They are also not made with gluten directly, but the facilities that produce them may produce other products that contain gluten which may cause cross-contamination.
The Funyun products also contain one or more bioengineered food ingredients, known as GMOs.
Where Can I Buy Funyuns?
Rather than guessing if your local grocery store or gas station will have Funyuns, it is easiest to go straight to the source.
Funyuns has its own Where To Buy page where visitors can input their city, state, and zip code to search for Funyuns products.
The page allows the user to select from Funyuns Original, Funyuns Flamin’ Hot, Funyuns Mix Multi-Pack 40 box, and the Original Multi-Pack 10 sack.
From a few searches on the page, it appears that both the original and Flamin’ Hot Funyuns can be commonly found at Super America’s, Walmart, Holiday Stations, Walgreens, and a variety of local gas stations and food markets.
The page doesn’t specify how much of each product is in stock, so if the demand for the product is high there is not necessarily a guarantee that the product will still be there.
Hot Funyun Alternatives
If you’re unable to find Hot Funyuns, you may be looking for an alternative to the crunchy, spicy, and tasty experience.
Luckily, many of Frito-Lay’s snacks have a spicy kick which may not completely replace your craving for Hot Funyuns but may be more readily available at your local grocery store or gas station.
Some snacks worth a try include:
- Munchos Flamin’ Hot Potato Crisps
- Takis
- Flamin’ Hot Cheetos
- Jalapeno Chex Mix
If you’re interested in a healthier alternative, try:
- PeaTos Crunchy Classic Onion Rings
- Trader Joe’s Baked Onion Rings
- Whisps Hot & Spicy
If you’re feeling crafty and want to make your own tasty snacks with a kick, here are a few recipes:
