伟大的Sriracha之争 | 唯一的热酱亿万富翁 | 1

2022年，洛杉矶普拉亚维斯塔社区，Gulf餐厅兼啤酒屋的厨房内。餐厅经理克里斯·塞萨弓着身子盯着手机播放的视频，他的副手从肩后探头观看。在厨房有序的忙乱中，他们侧耳倾听视频内容。

It's 2022 in the Playa Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles, inside the kitchen of the Gulf Restaurant and Brew Pub. Restaurant manager Chris Sessa hunches over his phone streaming a video. Sessa's second in command peers over his shoulder. They cock their heads to hear the video over the controlled chaos of the kitchen.

汇丰食品公司表示，由于缺乏关键原料辣椒，被迫暂停其标志性是拉差辣酱的生产。公司将短缺归咎于恶劣天气。

Khoi Fong Foods says it was forced to suspend production of its iconic sriracha sauce because of a lack of its key ingredient, chili peppers. The company blaming severe weather for the shortage.

塞萨暂停了视频。好吧，这就解释得通了。几周来，塞萨一直在担心是拉差酱的库存问题。这种辛辣蒜香的调味品已成为Gulp餐厅的核心食材，他们将其用于多道菜品，包括最畅销的开胃菜——是拉差魔鬼蛋。

Sessa pauses the video. Well, that explains it. For weeks, Sessa has been worrying about keeping sriracha in stock. The spicy garlicky condiment has become an essential ingredient at Gulp. They use it in multiple dishes, including their best selling appetizer, sriracha deviled eggs.

副手用手抹了抹后颈，厨房的热气让他汗如雨下。"我们该怎么办？""还剩多少瓶？""将近20瓶。"

Sessa's second in command rubs his hand on the back of his neck. It drips with sweat from the heat of the kitchen. What are we gonna do? Well, how many bottles do we have left? Almost 20.

塞萨做了个苦脸。"听起来不少，但餐厅每周要用掉6到10瓶，撑不了多久。""嘿，用塔巴斯科或丘鲁拉酱代替呢？""得了吧，现实点。"

Sessa grimaces. Sounds like a lot, but the restaurant goes through six to 10 bottles a week, so they don't have long before they run out. Hey, what about Tabasco at Cholula? Oh, come on. Get real.

"顾客绝对不会买账。非是拉差不可。""从没见过人们对辣酱这么疯狂。""但愿他们能尽快找到更多辣椒。等用完这20瓶，干旱也不会结束。"

There's no way customers are gonna go for that. It's sriracha or nothing. Never seen people go so nuts about a hot sauce. Well, let's hope we find gets more chilies and soon. I don't think the drought's going away before we get through those last 20 bottles.

"我...我知道，开个玩笑。我...希望他们能找到其他辣椒供应商。肯定还有别的货源。""嗯...也许吧。"

I I know I'm just joking. I I hope they find another chili supplier. There gotta be others out there. Yeah. Maybe.

"听着，最坏情况就是把是拉差魔鬼蛋从菜单撤下。""哈，顾客可要"高兴"坏了。""简直一团糟。"

Look. Worst case scenario, we pull sriracha deviled eggs from the menu. Yeah. The customers would just love that. This is so messed up.

"我们沉迷于这种辣酱，而它完全依赖特定辣椒品种。现在大家都得付出代价。"他大步走向办公室，扭头吼道："继续找有是拉差库存的供应商！我要去祈祷汇丰食品那边快点下雨，多长点辣椒。""明白。"

We got hooked on a hot sauce and that hot sauce is completely dependent on a special kind of chili, and now we're all paying the price. He strides over to his office barking over his shoulder. Just keep looking for someone who has sriracha. Meanwhile, I think I'm gonna go pray Wei Fong gets some rain and some more chilies. Heard that.

塞萨不知道的是，汇丰食品并未完全坦白。其生产问题另有隐情——一场激烈对峙切断了他们与最可靠辣椒供应商的合作。这场纷争因何而起？能否在众多竞争对手趁虚而入前平息？

What Sessa doesn't know is that Wei Fong Foods isn't being completely honest. There's another reason for its production problem, a bitter standoff that's cut Huifong Foods from its most reliable chili supplier. But what started this feud? And can it be put to rest before a slew of competitors sweep in?

我是你们的老朋友尼克·坎农。在此为您带来我的全新播客《深夜尼克秀》。每周，我都会邀请明星好友和业界顶尖专家，解答您最私密的情感问题。无需害羞，快来YouTube观看《深夜尼克秀》，或在Wondery应用及其他播客平台订阅参与讨论。

It's your man, Nick Cannon. I'm here to bring you my new podcast, Nick Cannon at Night. Every week, I'm bringing out some of my celebrity friends and the best experts in the business to answer your most intimate relationship questions. So don't be shy. Join the conversation and head over to YouTube to watch Nick Cannon at Night or subscribe on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast.

如果我告诉你，世纪大案正在此刻上演呢？

What if I told you that the crime of the century is happening right now?

从东海岸到西海岸，人们正在逃离烈火、狂风与洪水。

From coast to coast, people are fleeing flames, wind, and water.

大自然在向我们呐喊：我再也承受不住了。

Nature is telling us, I can't take this anymore.

这些正是我们需要讲述的关于星球剧变的故事——骗局、谋杀与掩盖的真相，以及人类保护或摧毁地球的所作所为。这里是《法外星球》，请在Wondery应用或常用播客平台订阅收听。

These are the stories we need to be telling about our changing planet. Stories of scams, murders, and cover ups, and the things we're doing to either protect the Earth or destroy it. This is Lawless Planet. Follow Lawless Planet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

这里是Wondery出品的《商战风云》，我是大卫·布朗。汇丰食品与其标志性产品是拉差辣椒酱的崛起堪称商业童话。创始人陈德1979年从越南移民美国，次年抵达洛杉矶后便开始制作是拉差酱，最初用旧货车将产品运往全市亚裔超市。

From Wondery, I'm David Brown, and this is Business Wars. The rise of Huifeng Foods and its signature sauce, Sriracha, is like something out of a fairy tale. Huifeng founder David Tran immigrated to The United States from Vietnam in 1979. He started making Sriracha a year later, shortly after arriving in Los Angeles. He delivered the product to Asian markets around the city in an old van.

凭借质优价廉的产品，是拉差酱数十年间从小众商品发展为全美第三大辣酱，拥有狂热粉丝群。2022年其销售额约1.5亿美元，每十个美国家庭就有一瓶。汇丰采用简约生产模式，其核心原料红哈拉佩尼奥辣椒几乎全部采购自加州文图拉县的安德伍德农场，双方共生共荣——辣酱畅销时，农场亦蓬勃发展。

And with a quality product sold at a low price point, within decades sriracha grew from a niche product to the third most popular hot sauce in America with a truly devoted fan base. In 2022, trans sriracha was estimated to have brought in roughly $150,000,000 in sales, and it's thought to be found in one out of every 10 American kitchens. Huifong Foods had a simple domestic production process sourcing its key ingredient, red jalapenos, almost exclusively from Underwood Ranches in Ventura County, California. It was a beautiful marriage too. As Sriracha grew, so did Underwood Ranches.

汇丰陈德与安德伍德农场的克雷格曾默契合作，本期待长久共赢，直到某天一切突变。全新两集系列将揭秘这场如何颠覆美国辣酱市场的 bitter feud（激烈纷争）。本期为第一集《唯一的辣酱亿万富翁》。容我分享一个创作心得——

The two founders, David Tran of Wefong Foods and Craig Underwood of Underwood Ranches, had a good thing going. They foresaw a long future together until one day they didn't. Our new two part series will explore what went wrong and how a bitter feud upended the American hot sauce market. This is episode one, the only hot sauce billionaire. A personal note here.

所有伟大故事都始于「很久以前」，未必字面如此，但精神相通。接下来您将听到的故事充满类似启示：每个商业帝国都起步于街角小店。重点不在于字面意义，而是聚焦特定市场（本案中亚裔群体）让陈德建立了拓展所需的信誉与收入基础。

One of my favorite lessons about storytelling is that every great story begins once upon a time, maybe not literally, but metaphorically. The story you're about to hear is full of similar lessons like this one. Every business empire starts as a corner shop. Again, don't take the maxim literally, but think about it. By focusing on a specific market, in this case, Asian Americans, David Tran built the credibility and revenue base he needed to expand.

是拉差酱先成为粉丝挚爱，再跻身家喻户晓——这正是先深耕细分领域再图扩张的典范。但请警惕初期成功的滋味，正如即将揭晓的：通往巅峰之路上，原始配方往往需要大幅调整。时间回到1970年代中期，越南胡志明市东北郊外，陈德正站在寒意袭人的田野中。

Sriracha became a household name by first becoming a fan favorite. That's the sort of thing that's possible when you set out to own a niche before you try to conquer a whole category. But be careful with that early taste of success, because as we're about to hear, the initial recipe may have to be tweaked more than a bit along the road to the big time. It's the mid nineteen seventies, Northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. David Tran stands in a chilly field.

一阵暖风拂过植物的叶子，沙沙作响。Tran今年30岁。他的哥哥站在对面，面露忧色。Tran试图让他安心。

A warm breeze rustles the leaves of the plants. Tran is 30 years old. His older brother stands across from him looking worried. Tran tries to reassure him.

人生有时必须冒险才能出头，我明白。换个角度想，我的点子能解决问题。现在辣椒市场一塌糊涂。

Sometimes in life you have to take a risk if you wanna get ahead. I know. Think of it this way. My idea is a solution to a problem. The chili market is in the toilet right now.

就算把这些辣椒全卖了也回不了本。但做成酱料就能提高售价赚到钱。我懂。可凭什么有人会买你的酱？

We won't even break even if we sell all these peppers. But if we turn them into a sauce, then we can charge a higher price point and turn a profit. I get that. But why would anyone wanna buy your sauce?

Tran挺起胸膛。

Tran puffs out his chest.

我们连队的人都喜欢这味道。

All the guys in my unit liked it.

直到不久前，Tran还在南越军队当炊事员。辣酱在越南虽是常见调料，但多数家庭都自制而非购买。作为军厨，Tran对市售辣酱不满——觉得寡淡不够劲，于是决定自己研制。

Until recently, Tran was serving in the South Vietnamese Army, where he worked as a cook. Hot sauce is a popular condiment in Vietnam, but most families make their own rather than buying a commercially made one. As an army cook, Tran didn't like the sauces that were available for purchase. He found them bland, lacking heat. So he too decided to make his own.

他的辣酱在战友中大受欢迎，现在他想商业化生产。但哥哥心存疑虑。Tran将手搭在哥哥肩上。

It was a hit amongst his fellow soldiers, and now Tran wants to make a commercial version. But his brother is skeptical. Tran puts his hand on his brother's shoulder.

这生意真的能让我们收入更稳定。我只是不想因为一年歉收就反应过度。万一明年辣椒行情好转呢？我是说我们能摆脱这种波动——辣椒低价时靠卖酱回本，

I really think this could be a more stable business for us. I just don't want to overreact because of one bad year. What if the chili market rebounds next year and the price per bushel is great? I'm seeing we can free ourselves from that yo yoing. When chili peppers are low, we make the money back by selling sauce.

辣椒涨价时我们仍保持低价，反而能吸引更多顾客尝试。

And when the price of peppers go up, we still keep our price point low, which brings more customers willing to give it a try.

Tran的哥哥点了点头。

Tran's brother nods.

你说得对。你说得对。我们试试吧。

You're right. You're right. Let's try.

陈和他的兄弟开始了他们的新辣酱事业。陈开发了几种不同的酱料。全家人都参与其中。陈的兄弟继续种植辣椒。他的岳父收集并清洗美国军人留下的嘉宝婴儿食品罐来装酱料。

Tran and his brother embark on their new hot sauce endeavor. Tran develops several different sauces. The whole family gets involved. Tran's brother continues to grow the chilies. His father-in-law collects and washes Gerber baby food jars left behind by American servicemen to hold the sauce.

他的妹夫负责灌装瓶子。陈在每个盖子上画了一只公鸡作为标签，这是对他出生年份生肖的致敬。陈将这些瓶子卖给失业的人，他们需要收入来源，然后挨家挨户地推销酱料。生意进展顺利。但越南的政治局势对陈和他的家人来说已经变得不可持续。

His brother-in-law fills the bottles. Tran labels each lid with a drawing of a rooster, a nod to the year of the zodiac in which he was born. Tran sells the bottles to out of work folks looking for a source of income, who in turn sell the sauce door to door. And the business is going well. But the political situation in Vietnam has become untenable for Tran and his family.

战争结束后，随着社会主义制度的过渡，越南政府开始施压华裔人口离开该国。陈的家人是广东人。到了1978年底，陈觉得自己已经赚了足够的钱，可以负担得起离开并在一个新的国家重新开始。但有一个问题。越南政府不允许难民带着金融资产离开。

After the end of the war and the transition to a socialist system, the Vietnamese government starts pressuring the ethnically Chinese population to leave the country. Tran's family is of Cantonese origin. By late nineteen seventy eight, Tran feels like he's made enough money that he can afford to leave and start over in a new country. There's just one problem. The Vietnamese government doesn't allow refugees to leave with financial assets.

但陈认为自己有解决办法。人们被允许带着旅途中的食物离开，所以陈将100盎司的黄金藏在炼乳罐头里。这相当于今天的30多万美元，足以让他们开始新生活。让我告诉你，许多商业战争都有一个共同的主题。企业家们有着不同的思维方式，他们有一种非同寻常的创造力，能在别人看到障碍的地方发现机会。

But Tran thinks he has a solution. People are allowed to leave with food for their journey, so Tran hides 100 ounces of gold in cans of condensed milk. This should give them the equivalent of more than $300,000 today to start their new lives. Let me tell you, there's a common theme in many a business war. See, entrepreneurs have a different mindset, an unusually creative gift for spotting opportunity where others may see a wall.

陈氏家族把黄金藏进奶粉罐里转移？确实聪明。但这背后还有更深层的原因——一种生存型创业精神。当被官僚体系、资本或国界所限制时，创业者往往会找到非传统的出路。

Trans move to stash gold in milk cans? Clever, for sure. But it was something else too. Something like survival entrepreneurship. When constrained by bureaucracy, capital, or borders, founders often find unconventional paths forward.

也许这就是企业家与钻规则空子者的区别，或者说破坏规则者，由你评判。但记住，被抓到就要付出代价。你可别说是我告诉你的，懂吗？为了提高家族在不被抓的情况下至少运出部分黄金的概率，他们分成四组行动，每组搭乘不同的船只离开越南。

Maybe this is what separates entrepreneurs from bending the rules, breaking them, you be the judge. But remember, you get caught, you pay the price. And you never heard this from me, okay? To increase the family's odds of getting at least some of the gold out without getting caught, the family breaks into four groups. Each takes a different ship out of Vietnam.

陈先生和妻子分别登上不同的船。1978年12月，陈登上一艘名为

Tran and his wife are on separate boats. In December 1978, Tran boards a freighter ship named Hui Fong that's bound for Hong Kong. The guards don't think to look inside his cans of milk and he safely gets the gold on board. After eight months in a refugee camp in Hong Kong, Tran heads to The United States in the 1979. He reunites with his wife in Boston.

辉丰号

She's also held on to her goal. The two of them are excited to see snow for the first time, but Tran's not sure what to do in Massachusetts. And when he speaks to his brother-in-law who landed in Los Angeles, he learns that they grow chili peppers in California. If they move there, can get back into the hot sauce game. So in January 1980, Tran and his wife move across the country to Los Angeles.

的货轮前往香港。守卫没想到检查他的奶粉罐，黄金得以安全上船。在香港难民营度过八个月后，陈于1979年前往美国，在波士顿与妻子团聚。

The next month, using some of the gold he brought with him, Tran founds Weifeng Foods. He sources the peppers from local markets and sells the sauce himself going door to door to restaurants in Chinatown. He makes 1,000 profit in his first month. First month, a thousand bucks. Now that's validation.

要知道，太多初创企业将规模与成功混为一谈。对于任何新推出的产品，早期重要的不是你脑海中那个理想化的成功概念。事情要简单得多——关键在于是否有人愿意为你的产品掏出真金白银。确实如此。

You know, too many startups confuse scale with success. With any new launch, what matters early on isn't some idealized notion that you may have about success. It's a whole lot more simple. It's whether someone will hand you real money for what you've made. Sure.

利润或许微薄，但你看，这证明了有人认可你的产品价值。其他一切都可以后期扩展。未来就在眼前。Tran的事业由此起步。他非常明确自己的主要客户群体——新近的亚洲移民。

The profit may be small, but look, it's proof someone values your product. Everything else can be scaled later. You've got the future in front of you. Tran grows from there. He has a very clear idea of who his primary customer is, recent Asian immigrants.

贸易限制使得许多在亚洲各国流行的食材无法进口到美国。Tran知道许多移民会寻找能在本地商店购买的替代品。通过使用美国本土食材制作辣酱，他正好填补了这个市场空缺。Tran的商业嗅觉得到了回报——他的辣酱在亚裔社区站稳了脚跟。

Trade restrictions prevent many of the ingredients popular in various Asian countries from being imported to The US. Tran knows that many immigrants will be looking for replacements that they can buy in local stores. By making his hot sauce in The United States with ingredients he can find locally, he can fill that niche. Trans Business Sense pays off. His sauce gains a strong foothold among the Asian American community.

这款辣酱出现在面向亚洲顾客的餐厅和市场中。这是门稳定的生意，就像他在越南的生意一样。但这时Tran萌生了一个新想法。我们重置奥运训练设施的场景。那是八十年代初，Tran正坐在洛杉矶的一家餐厅里。

It's found in Asian restaurants and markets that cater to Asian customers. It's a steady business, just like his business back in Vietnam. But then Tran gets an idea. We reset the Olympic training facility. It's the early nineteen eighties, and Tran is sitting in a restaurant in Los Angeles.

餐厅角落的电视正在播放本地新闻主持人报道奥运会的消息。1984年夏季奥运会将在洛杉矶举行，这对城市来说是件大事。但Tran只是心不在焉地听着，他在餐巾纸上草草记着笔记，列着下周的待办事项清单。

A TV in the corner of the restaurant is on, and a local news anchor is relaying a story about the Olympics. The summer games are scheduled to be played in Los Angeles in 1984. It's a big deal for the city. But Tran is only half listening. He's jotting notes on a paper napkin, making a to do list for the week ahead.

Weifong食品当时还是个小型家族企业，Tran身兼数职。服务员端来了他的餐点，将冒着热气的盘子放在Tran面前。

Weifong Foods is still a small family operation and Tran wears a lot of hats for his company. The server brings over his food. She places the steaming plate in front of Tran.

还需要其他什么吗？加水？还是来点番茄酱？

Can I bring you anything else? More water? Some ketchup?

不用了，谢谢。我

No, thank you. I

他话说到一半突然停住，思绪翻涌。

He trails off, his mind racing.

其实，来点牛排酱会不错。

Actually, some steak sauce would be great.

没问题。

No problem.

服务员拿着一瓶酱料回来。这给了Tran一个灵感：如果他研发一款新辣酱会怎样？一款依然带有鲜明亚洲风味、受亚洲顾客喜爱，同时又能吸引更广泛人群的酱料？一款非亚裔美国人也会使用的酱料，类似牛排酱或番茄酱。他仔细研究瓶身上的标签，目光停留在小字体印刷的'亨氏'字样上，注意到亨氏公司生产的57种产品系列。

The server returns with a bottle. It gives Tran an idea. What if he made a new hot sauce, A new one, one that's still distinctly Asian in its flavor profile and will still sell well with Asian customers but also have broader appeal? A sauce that non Asian Americans would use, similar to steak sauce or ketchup. He studies the label on the bottle, his eyes catching on the word Heinz in the smaller font noting the 57 varieties of products Heinz makes.

他可以将这款酱料命名为'Tran 84'，致敬1984年奥运会和他希望实现的跨文化融合。他狼吞虎咽地吃完食物，迫不及待要开始研发新辣酱。如果成功，这可能会是重大突破。但Tran即将发现一个商业隐患，而这个隐患将引领他遇见那个看似天赐良缘的人——至少在一段时间内如此。

He could call his sauce Tran 84, a nod at the nineteen eighty four Olympics and the cross culture mixing he's hoping to achieve. He scarfs down his food, excited to get to work developing his new hot sauce. If he does this right, this could be big. But Tran's about to discover a business liability, and it's one that will lead him to the person who will seem like the answer to his prayers, at least for a while.

毁灭一颗星球有多难？或许只需要一些钻探、采矿，以及向大气层排放巨量碳元素。当你目睹残留的景象时，那开始像极了一个犯罪现场。

How hard is it to kill a planet? Maybe all it takes is a little drilling, some mining, and a whole lot of carbon pumped into the atmosphere. When you see what's left, it starts to look like a crime scene.

我们真的安全吗？我们的水源安全吗？你们毁掉了我们的自来水系统。

Are we really safe? Is our water safe? You destroyed our tap.

而这类罪行，绝非偶然发生。

And crimes like that, they don't just happen.

我们将事件归为意外。但这绝非意外，本可以100%避免。

We call things accidents. There is no accident. This was 100% preventable.

它们是人们选择的结果——无情的石油大亨、腐败政客，甚至是有组织犯罪。这些正是我们需要讲述的关于地球变迁的故事：关于欺诈、谋杀和掩盖的叙事，关乎人类行为对地球的保护或破坏。请在Wondery应用或任意播客平台订阅《无法无天的星球》。

They're the result of choices by people. Ruthless oil tycoons, corrupt politicians, even organized crime. These are the stories we need to be telling about our changing planet. Stories of scams, murders, and cover ups that are about us and the things we're doing to either protect the earth or destroy it. Follow Lawless Planet on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts.

现在加入Wondery Plus会员，即可在Wondery应用、苹果播客或Spotify上提前收听《无法无天的星球》无广告新剧集。

You can listen to new episodes of Lawless Planet early and ad free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

2018年节礼日，20岁的乔伊·摩根最后一次出现在她所属的教堂——'以色列联合于基督'（IUIC）。'我刚打开Snapchat，就发现她的脸被铺天盖地转发——这是失踪的姐妹。'这是一个被最信任之人背叛的女性真实故事。'IUIC是我的家人，是我拥有过最棒的家人。'

On Boxing Day twenty eighteen, 20 year old Joy Morgan was last seen at her church, Israel United in Christ or IUIC. I just went on my Snapchat, and I just see her face plastered everywhere. This is the missing sister. The true story of a woman betrayed by those she trusted most. IUIC is my family and like the best family that I've ever had.

但IUIC与大多数教会不同。

But IUIC isn't like most churches.

这是个邪恶的邪教组织。

This is a devilish cult.

你知道那种感觉吗？就是突然觉得‘我不想待在这儿了，我要离开’。就像那种‘我想出去逛逛’的冲动。

You know when you get that feeling where you just I don't wanna be here. I I wanna get out. It's like that feeling of, like, I wanna go hang out.

我是查理·布伦特科斯·卡夫，经过多年调查乔伊的案件，我必须弄清她遭遇了什么。现在就在Wondery Plus上独家无广告观看《失踪的妹妹》全集。立即在Spotify、Apple Podcasts或Wondery应用开启Wondery Plus免费试用。

I'm Charlie Brentkos Cuff, and after years of investigating Joy's case, I need to know what really happened to Joy. Binge all episodes of The Missing Sister exclusively and ad free right now on Wondery Plus. Start your free trial of Wondery Plus on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or in the Wondery app.

1988年，加州罗斯米德市——洛杉矶东部郊区。陈德站在新汇丰食品工厂外一辆空转的卡车前。他的弟媳林唐娜（也在汇丰工作）站在对面。卡车司机手托下巴等着他们结束谈话。陈德指着装满红色墨西哥辣椒的车厢。

It's 1988 in Rosemead, California, an eastern suburb of Los Angeles. David Tran stands in front of an idling truck outside of the new Huifong Foods factory. His sister-in-law, Donna Lam, who also works for Huifong, stands across from him. The driver of the truck sits with his head resting on his fist, waiting for them to finish their conversation. Tran gestures at the back of the truck, which is filled with red jalapeno peppers.

你看看这些辣椒？都碰伤发软了，不能收。

Are you looking at these chilies? They're bruised and mushy. They're not acceptable.

我承认不完美，但也不至于不能接受吧。

I agree they're not perfect, but that doesn't make them not acceptable.

自从陈德几年前研制出新酱料后，销量持续增长。他最终没有命名为"陈氏84号"，而是以激发其风味灵感的泰国海滨小镇命名为"是拉差"。这款酱料尚未打入主流市场，但在亚裔顾客中人气稳步上升。事实上，去年刚把生产线搬进这个24万平方英尺的工厂。

Since Tran developed his new sauce a few years ago, sales have continued to grow. He didn't wind up calling it Tran 84, instead he decided to call it Sriracha after the coastal town in Thailand that inspired the flavor profile. The sauce hasn't broken into the mainstream yet, but it is steadily growing in popularity amongst Asian American customers. In fact, just last year, he moved production into this 240,000 square foot factory.

辣椒？我总说什么？做出好产品，利润自然来。用过熟辣椒，产品就毁了。这比停产还糟糕。

Peppers? What do I always say? Make a great product and profit will follow. If we use overripe chilies, our product won't be great. That is worse than shutting down production.

你就没想过自己对辣椒的标准定得太高了吗？

Did it ever occur to you that your standards for the chilies are just too high?

尽管Tran的生意一直很顺利，但有一个持续存在的问题，那就是为红辣椒（sriracha的关键原料）寻找可靠的供应商。当他创办Huifang Foods时，Tran从小型市场采购，但这些市场已无法满足他当前的生产规模。而且种植红辣椒的供应商并不多。大多数农民在辣椒还是绿色时就采摘了，而红辣椒更为娇嫩，运输起来也更困难。听众们，让我在这里插一个问题。

Although business has been going well for Tran, there's been one consistent problem, finding a dependable supplier for the red jalapenos, which are sriracha's key ingredient. When he started Huifang Foods, Tran sourced them from small markets, but those are no longer big enough to keep up with his current scale of production. And there aren't many suppliers who grow red jalapenos. Most farmers pick them when they're still green, and the red jalapenos are more delicate, which makes them harder to transport. Listeners, let me interrupt with a question here.

你会怎么做？Tran坚信，一批次品比一次延误发货造成的损害更大。当你打造品牌时，一致性就是货币。顾客可能会原谅延迟，但他们不会忘记质量差。保护你的声誉就像保护你的利润一样，因为最终声誉就是利润。

What would you do? Trans convinced that one bad batch could do more damage than a missed shipment. When you're building a brand, consistency is currency. Customers might forgive delays, but they won't forget bad quality. Protect your reputation like it's your margin because eventually it will be.

长期的成功不仅仅建立在“更多”上，而是关于“更好”。但另一方面，对吧？如果它永远无法上桌，味道再好也没用。嘿，没人说这会很容易。

Long term success isn't built on just more, it's all about the better. But then there's the flip side, right? It won't taste better if it never reaches the table. Hey, no one said this would be easy.

我们只需要找到

We just need to find

合适的供应商。我们几乎试遍了所有供应商。你从来都不满意。

the right supplier. We've tried almost all the suppliers out there. You're never happy.

所以我们继续找。这一点我们不能妥协。

So we keep looking. We cannot compromise on this.

Lam闭上眼睛深吸一口气，然后敲了敲驾驶座的车窗。卡车司机吓了一跳，随后摇下车窗。

Lam closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and then wraps on the driver's side window. The truck driver startles and then rolls down the window.

这两个有碰伤。告诉你老板我们不能接受。

These are two bruised. Tell your boss we can't accept them.

司机简短地点点头，挂挡启动卡车，带着被拒收的辣椒离开了。Tran可能在这场与Lam的争论中赢了，但他还没有解决更大的问题。为了让Weifong Foods继续发展，他必须为脆弱的红辣椒找到可靠的来源。幸运的是，在80英里外的文图拉县，有一位农民正在寻找新的作物出售。1988年，Craig Underwood走进了一家种子供应店。

The driver gives her a curt nod and shifts the truck into gear, pulling out, taking their rejected Chili's with him. Tran may have won this argument with Lam, but he hasn't solved the bigger problem. For Weifong Foods to continue to grow, he has to find a reliable source for the fragile red jalapenos. Luckily for Tran, about 80 miles away in Ventura County, there's a farmer looking for a new crop to sell. It's 1988 and Craig Underwood walks into a seed supply store.

几十年来，Underwood种植过多种作物，从蓝莓到茴香再到欧洲萝卜。但在整个1980年代，随着加州水资源使用政策的变化，大型农业企业在该州大举扩张。因此，Underwood转向种植更小众的产品——迷你蔬菜和沙拉绿叶菜。但现在，工厂化农场也开始进军这些市场。大型农场将正常大小的胡萝卜切成小块，作为迷你胡萝卜销售。

Underwood has grown an array of crops over the decades, everything from blueberries to fennel to parsnips. But throughout the 1980s, after changes to California's water use policy, big agriculture has made big inroads in the state. So Underwood has pivoted to growing a more niche product baby vegetables and salad greens. But now the factory farms are coming after those markets too. Large farms are taking their full size carrots and cutting them into smaller pieces, marketing them as baby carrots.

安德伍德无法与大公司竞争，因此他正寻求再次转型。若失败，他担心其家族农场——可追溯至十九世纪六十年代——将无法延续至二十一世纪。作为第四代农民，照此趋势，他可能成为家族中务农的最后一代。在与种子供应商讨论时，对方提及洛杉矶有家辣酱公司正寻求红墨西哥辣椒货源，安德伍德对此产生了兴趣。

Underwood can't compete with the big boys, so he's looking to pivot once again. If he can't, he's worried that his family farm, which dates back to the eighteen sixties, isn't going to make it into the twenty first century. He may be a fourth generation farmer, but at the rate things are going, he may be the last generation in his family to farm. As he talks through the situation with a seed supplier, the proprietor tells him he's heard about a hot sauce company in LA looking for red jalapenos. Underwood is intrigued.

他曾种过辣椒（虽非红墨西哥辣椒），但自信能胜任。稍作调研后，他致信陈大卫，提议为其种植所需红墨西哥辣椒。陈接受了提议——因尚未找到合意供应商，他并无损失。

He's grown chili peppers before, albeit not red jalapenos, but he thinks he can do it. He does a little more research and then writes a letter to David Tran. In the letter, he pitches growing the red jalapenos that Tran needs. Tran takes Underwood up on his offer. He has nothing to lose at this point since he hasn't found a pepper supplier he likes.

双方达成500吨辣椒（约50英亩产量）的协议。数月后安德伍德如期交付合格辣椒，而另一供应商违约，故陈次年增订其货。此后十八年间合作持续深化，汇丰食品每年向安德伍德采购的辣椒量稳步增长。

He agrees to a deal with Underwood for 500 tons of peppers, roughly 50 acres worth. A few months later, Underwood delivers acceptable peppers on time, but another supplier doesn't. So Tran increases his order with Underwood for the next year. Over the next eighteen years, the relationship continues to grow. Huifong Foods buys a steadily increasing number of chilies from Underwood every year.

陈打造广受欢迎辣酱的目标逐渐实现。至2001年2月，汇丰年销约600万磅辣酱，年收入达1200万美元。该酱料成为加州众多商业厨房与餐车标配，用于寿司卷、塔可饼、波奇碗等美食，影响力更辐射至加州外——全美连锁中餐厅华馆已将其纳入部分菜品。

And Tran's goal of creating a hot sauce with wide appeal increasingly comes true. By 02/2001, Huifong Foods is selling approximately 6,000,000 pounds of sauce and bringing in 12,000,000 a year in revenue. In California, the sauce becomes a staple in many commercial kitchens and on food trucks, becoming a key ingredient in sushi rolls, tacos, poke bowls, and more. And its influence is spreading beyond California. The national Chinese restaurant chain P.

2003年2月，沃尔玛开始在洛杉矶和休斯顿门店销售该辣酱。随着业务扩展，汇丰与安德伍德农场关系日益紧密。面对增长需求，汇丰未选择墨西哥或中国等地的供应商，始终专供于安德伍德农场。

F. Chang's has started using it in some of their dishes. And in 02/2003, Walmart began stocking the sauce in its LA and Houston stores. Over the years, as business grows, Huifong's relationship with Underwood Ranches becomes closer and closer. Rather than source chilies from other suppliers, largely in Mexico or China, Wei Fang sticks with Underwood Ranches to keep up with growing demand.

克雷格·安德伍德亦严谨对待辣椒种植，测试数十品种以确保最优品质。至2006年2月，汇丰95%的辣椒由其供应。但安德伍德警惕过度依赖——曾濒临破产的他拒绝重蹈覆辙。

Craig Underwood also takes his job growing the tastiest peppers seriously. He tests dozens of varieties to make sure he's growing the absolute best peppers he can. And by 02/2006, Underwood is providing Huifong Foods with 95% of their peppers. But Underwood has been careful not to become too reliant on Huifong Foods. He's faced potentially losing his farm before and he doesn't want to be in that position again.

因此他维持多元化经营：汇丰所需辣椒仅占农场总业务的25%。安德伍德还种植柠檬等作物，通过批发与农贸市场直售。这成为防范汇丰某年不续约的保险策略——明智之举。

So he tries to maintain a diverse business. The peppers for Huifong make up only 25% of Underwood Ranch's total business. Underwood also grows lemons and other vegetables that he sells both wholesale and directly to consumers at farmers markets. It's an insurance policy in case Wifong doesn't renew its contract some year. Good for Underwood.

但你可曾与我同感？汇丰方面呢？其对安德伍德的依赖程度如何？单一供应链看似高效，实则暗藏系统性风险。

But have you been thinking what I've been thinking? What about Wefong? How much does Sriracha count on Underwood? I I get the appeal. A single source supply chain looks efficient until it becomes a single point of failure.

须知多元化不仅适用于投资者，创始人亦然。若整个业务依赖单一供应商、平台或客户，你经营的不仅是事业，更是风险。2006年2月，陈亲赴农场向安德伍德提出使双方更深度绑定的方案。

You know, diversification isn't just for investors, it's for founders too. If your entire operation relies on one vendor, one platform, or one client, you're not just running a business, you're running a risk. In 02/2006, Tran approaches Underwood at his farm. He has a proposal that will make the two companies even more interdependent.

嘿，克雷格。

Hey Craig.

大卫，见到你真好。准备好商量明年的安排了吗？是的，我需要更多辣椒。

David, good to see you. You ready to figure out next year's arrangement? Yeah, I need more peppers.

和往年一样。需求一直在增长。现在辣椒成了限制因素。我知道去年你还在犹豫，但我想再问问你扩大种植面积的事。

Same as every year. Well, just keeps growing. And right now peppers are a limiting factor. I know last year you were on the fence, but I wanted to ask you again about adding more acreage.

安德伍德摘下帽子，用印花手帕擦了擦额头。首先我得说，你这么信任我，把生意关键部分交给我，我真的很荣幸。但说实话，扩大种植面积让我有点紧张。如果我种更多辣椒，就得减少其他作物的种植，你明白吗？

Underwood takes off his cap and wipes his forehead with a bandana. I mean, you know, first I should say I'm very flattered that you trust me with such a critical part of your business. But I gotta tell you, it makes me a little nervous to increase the acreage. I mean, if I grow more peppers, then I'm gonna have to grow less of something else, you know?

但和我合作，你就有稳定销路。我一直说：你种多少我买多少。完全不用担心辣椒的销售问题。

But with me, you have a guaranteed sale. Like I've always said, you grow them, I'll buy them. You don't need to worry about selling these peppers.

你我是信得过的，但大自然就难说了。陈摇了摇头，显然没理解。安德伍德继续解释：你看，如果遇到干旱、病害或年景不好导致减产，就算你收购所有收成...

You, I trust, but mother nature, that's another story. Tran shakes his head. He doesn't understand. Underwood tries again. You know, look, if something happens, say there's a drought, some kind of blight hits, just a bad year, and we don't have a good yield, then it doesn't matter if you buy every pepper we grow.

也不够我们回本。种植多样化才能保护农场。陈点点头没说话。安德伍德前倾身体：我理解你需要更多辣椒，如果你从其他渠道补充货源，我完全不会介意。

It won't be enough for us to break even. Having a diverse range of crops protects my farm. Tran nods his head, but doesn't say anything. Underwood leans forward. Now look, I appreciate that you need more peppers, and I won't take it personally at all if you supplement your supply with peppers from other sources.

明白吗？你做你该做的，但我得为农场考虑。

Okay? You do what you have to do, but look, I need to look out for the farm.

如果按面积付款呢？什么意思？惠丰食品不按辣椒吨数，而是按你种植的亩数支付。这样收成好坏都不影响。无论丰年歉年，你收入固定，我们还预付货款。

What if we pay by acreage? What do you mean? Instead of paying per ton of chili, Huifang Foods will pay per acre you grow. That way the yield won't matter. Good year, bad year, you make the same amount of money, and we'll pay up front.

安德伍德瞪大了眼睛。这简直是农民的梦想方案。你确定要这样？你明白这意味着你们要承担很大...

Underwood's eyes go wide. This is pretty much the dream scenario for a farmer. Are you sure you wanna do that? You do understand that means you'd be taking on a big

风险。我觉得值得。我要你专门为我种辣椒，而且要种更多。

risk. It's worth it to me. I want you to grow my peppers and I want you to grow more of them.

安德伍德强忍笑意伸出手。好吧，我们成交。陈与他坚定握手。安德伍德明白这并非法律意义上的合作关系，但感觉与汇丰食品的关系迈出了一大步。他们的命运似乎已紧密相连。

Underwood fights back a grin as he extends his hand. Well, you've got yourself a deal. Tran shakes his hand firmly. Underwood knows this isn't a partnership in the legal sense of the word, but it feels like a big step forward in terms of his relationship with Wefong Foods. Their fates feel tied together.

是拉差酱发展得越好，安德伍德牧场就越兴旺。看着是拉差酱的增长势头，安德伍德确信只会越来越好。从1980年代险些失去农场至今，这一路多亏了大卫·陈。如今他正把所有筹码押在汇丰食品上，只希望这不是个错误决定。

The better Sriracha does, the better Underwood ranches will do. And the way Sriracha is growing, Underwood is confident it'll only go up. He's come a long way from nearly losing his farm in the 1980s, and it's all thanks to David Tran. Now he's putting all of his eggs in the Huifong basket. He just hopes that's not a mistake.

我是你们的老朋友尼克·坎农，带来全新播客《深夜尼克秀》。听说各位在感情方面需要指点？还有谁比我更合适呢？不开玩笑——每周我都会邀请明星好友和顶尖专家，解答你们最私密的情感问题。

It's your man Nick Cannon and I'm here to bring you my new podcast Nick Cannon at Night. I've heard y'all been needing some advice in the love department. So who better to help than yours truly? Nah, I'm serious. Every week, I'm bringing out some of my celebrity friends and the best experts in the business to answer your most intimate relationship questions.

男友让你头疼？我们帮你支招。对秘密情人动了真心？先让我们验明正身。想在卧室增添情趣玩具？

Having problems with your man? We got you. Catching feelings for your sneaky link? Let's make sure it's the real deal first. Ready to bring toys into the bedroom?

咱们敞开了聊。这里是无评判地带，无论是性爱、现代约会、恋爱关系、友情还是暧昧不清，所有问题都能提。节目会充满情欲、疯狂与混乱——想知道多精彩？看了就知道。别害羞。

Let's talk about it. Consider this a non judgment zone to ask your questions when it comes to sex and modern dating in relationships, friendships, situationships, and everything in between. It's gonna be sexy, freaky, messy, and you know what? You'll just have to watch the show. So don't be shy.

快来YouTube观看《深夜尼克秀》，或在Wondery应用及其他播客平台订阅。想提前看无广告版本？立即加入Wondery+会员。

Join the conversation and head over to YouTube to watch Nick Cannon at night or subscribe on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcast. Wanna watch episodes early and ad free? Join Wondery plus right now.

2007年的加州克恩县，克雷格·安德伍德与一位经理走过空旷农田。炙热的内陆阳光灼烤着他们。安德伍德眯眼看向经理：你觉得怎么样？

It's 2007 in Kern County, California. Craig Underwood walks with one of his managers through empty fields. The hot inland sun beats down on them. Underwood squints at his manager. So what do you think?

经理耸耸肩：田地状况不错，适合种辣椒。但安德伍德听出了弦外之音：有话直说，别藏着掖着。

His manager shrugs. Fields look good. This is good ground for peppers. I hear an unspoken but at the end of that sentence. Come on, don't be shy.

畅所欲言吧。经理环顾广袤农田：他们想让你签多久租约？很长，考虑到2020年代了。

Speak your mind. The manager looks around at the sprawling acreage. Well, how long a lease are they asking you to sign? A good long while. We're looking into the 2020s.

这么长时间承包大片土地，你不担心吗？我知道风险，但其实是汇丰食品在冒险。大卫要求我们扩种50%面积，还愿意预付费用。当然，仅限于今年。

That doesn't make you nervous? This is a lot of land for a long time. I I know that, but really it's Huifong Foods taking the risk. David asked us to increase our acreage by 50%, and he's willing to pay for that up front. Sure, for for this year.

但到了2022年，当你仍需为这块土地负责时怎么办？安德伍德摇摇头。我不担心这个。是拉差酱势不可挡。人们对这东西欲罢不能，而Tran正全力押注于此。

But what about in 2022 when you're still on the hook for this land? Underwood shakes his head. I'm not worried about that. Sriracha's unstoppable. People can't get enough of this stuff, and Tran's betting big on it.

他带我参观了正在尔文代尔建设的新工厂。哦是吗？是的，那地方大得惊人。他告诉我面积达60万平方英尺，还说'我需要你把它装满辣椒'，'既然要这么做，我们就需要更多土地'。经理耸耸肩，好吧，如果你确信与汇丰的合作能持续且是拉差酱会继续增长，那这块地确实很棒。

He gave me a tour of the new facility he's building out in Irwindale. Oh yeah? Yeah, the place is huge. He told me it's 600,000 square feet and he said, I need you to fill it up with Chili's and hey, if we're gonna do that, we need more acreage. The manager shrugs, well, if you're confident that this deal with Huifong is gonna last and Sriracha is gonna continue to grow, then yeah, yeah, this land is great.

我与Tran和汇丰其他人合作近二十年了。他们言出必行。那好，我们签下这块地的租约吧。安德伍德咧嘴笑了。这可是笔大买卖。

Well, I've been working with Tran and the others at Huifong for almost twenty years. They're true to their word. All right, then Let's make the deal to lease this acreage. Underwood grins. This is a massive deal.

据他估算，他即将成为全美最大的墨西哥辣椒生产商之一。对家庭农场来说相当不错。这一切都归功于David Tran和汇丰食品。是拉差酱的声望持续攀升。2010年1月，《Bon Appetit》杂志将其评为年度食材。

By his estimates, he's on his way to being one of the largest jalapeno producers in the country. Not bad for a family farm. And it was all thanks to David Tran and Huifong Foods. Sriracha's popularity in cachet continued to grow. In January 2010, Bon Appetit magazine names sriracha the ingredient of the year.

到2012年，汇丰食品每年销售2000万瓶是拉差酱。它还成为了文化标志。

By 2012, Huifong Foods is selling 20,000,000 bottles of sriracha each year. And it's become a cultural touchstone too.

是拉差风味薯片。现在我对它们的出现毫不意外。真正的问题是——好吃吗？众所周知我超爱是拉差辣酱。感谢Jackson寄来这个。

Sriracha flavored potato chips. Now I'm not at all surprised that they now exist. So the real question is, are they any good? It's no secret that I love my sriracha hot sauce. Shout outs to Jackson for sending me this.

同样众所周知的是它与无数食物都绝配。所以在第一集中，我们要验证是拉差酱与Twinkies蛋糕是否般配。

And it's also not a secret that this pairs perfectly with so many things. So for episode one, we're gonna see if Sriracha pairs well with Twinkies.

2013年，《洛杉矶时报》专栏作家宣布是拉差酱已获得摇滚巨星地位。它在《辛普森一家》剧集中亮相。印有标志性公鸡Logo的水瓶、鞋子、滑板和手机壳层出不穷。2016年，汇丰食品营收首次突破1亿美元。需求仍持续超过供应。

In 2013, an LA Times columnist declares that Sriracha has reached rock star status. It's featured in an episode of The Simpsons. There are water bottles, shoes, skateboards and phone cases that all feature the now iconic Rooster logo. In 2016, Huifong Foods breaks $100,000,000 in revenue for the first time. And demand is still outpacing supply.

汇丰现已成为全美第三大辣酱品牌，仅次于生产Tabasco的McIlhenny公司和生产Frank's RedHot的利洁时集团。安德伍德农场无疑是成功的关键。到2015年，安德伍德为汇丰种植近2000英亩辣椒，是1980年代起始规模的40倍。与九年前仅占农场25%营收相比，如今汇丰业务占比已达80%。两家公司已形成共生关系。

Wefong is now the third biggest hot sauce brand in the country, trailing behind McElhaney, the maker of Tabasco, and Wreckett Benkiser, maker of Frank's RedHot. Underwood Ranches is undoubtedly a big part of that success. By 2015, Underwood is growing nearly 2,000 acres of pepper for Weifong, 40 times the number of acres they started back in 1980s. And instead of making up about 25% of Underwood Ranch's revenue as it did nine years ago, WeFong is now responsible for around 80% of Underwood's business. The two companies have become symbiotic.

安德伍德不仅为汇丰食品提供优质辣椒，还做到了成本控制。多年来，农场运营经理Jim Roberts一直在完善改良版机械收割机。多数收割机的问题在于会连带收割树枝、泥土和树叶。但Roberts设计的收割机优于市面上任何产品。

It's not just that Underwood's operation is providing high quality chilies to Wefong Foods. It's doing so cheaply. For years, Underwood Ranch's operations manager Jim Roberts has been perfecting an improved mechanical harvester. The problem with most mechanical harvesters is that they don't just harvest the crop, they also pick up twigs, dirt, and leaves. But Roberts has designed a harvester better than any other on the market.

它不仅能把农作物采摘得一干二净，速度还比其他方式快得多。这为安德伍德农场节省了大量人力成本，进而让汇丰得以降低售价。对陈德来说，控制成本至关重要。他始终以生产质优价廉的产品为傲——一瓶28盎司的Sriracha辣酱至今仍只卖5美元左右。

It not only picks the crops clean, it does so faster than the rest. This provides significant labor savings for Underwood Ranches, Savings they can then pass on to Huifong. And keeping costs low is extremely important to Tran. He prides himself on making a quality product that's affordable. A 28 ounce bottle of Sriracha still typically sells for only around $5.

正是这个亲民价格，让穷学生和餐饮企业都能尽情享用。想想看：陈德不屑暴利，只求普惠。将高端产品定出亲民价，这绝非示弱之举。

That low price point is why it can be enjoyed by college students with no money and bought by commercial kitchens in bulk. Now think about this. Tran didn't believe in gouging. He believed in access. Pricing a premium product affordably, that's not a sign of weakness.

这是战略。低价能扩大受众、培养忠诚度，把普通用户变成狂热拥趸。知道Target超市为什么卖Sriracha主题T恤而不卖其他酱料周边吗？在这个追逐溢价的时代，以公道价格提供超值产品，就能筑起竞争对手难以逾越的护城河。

It's a strategy. A low price point widens your audience, builds loyalty, and turns casual users into full blown evangelists. You know what? There's a reason Target sells Sriracha T shirts and not a one sauce shirts. In a world of markups and margin chasing, being the one who over delivers at a fair price creates a moat competitors can't easily cross.

因为说到底，价格不只关乎利润，更关乎品牌形象。2016年，安德伍德农场即将实现全部辣椒都用罗伯特机械收割机采收的里程碑，这时陈德突然提出要拍摄收割机作业视频——这个看似平常的请求将引发巨变。

Because at the end of the day, price isn't just about profit margins. It's about perception, too. In 2016, Underwood Ranches is on pace to harvest 100% of its jalapenos using Robert's Mechanical Harvester, a milestone for the farm. But then Underwood gets a request from Tran that one day soon will change everything. Tran asks if Hui Fong can record footage of the harvester at work.

陈德此前从未对收割机工作原理表现过兴趣，甚至很少亲临田间。他向来只管收购辣椒，对农场具体运作漠不关心。安德伍德和运营经理吉姆·罗伯茨同意了拍摄请求，唯一条件是视频仅限汇丰内部使用，不得泄露给竞争对手。

Tran's never expressed interest in how the harvester works before. In fact, he rarely visits the fields. He's always just trusted Underwood to supply the chilies and has shown little interest in Underwood's operations themselves. Underwood and his operation manager Jim Roberts agree to the request. Their only stipulation is that the footage only be used internally at Huifong and not shown to any competitors.

陈德应允后，于十月雇无人机操作员拍摄了收割过程。十一月采收季结束时，双方照例洽谈来年合约。安德伍德对延续近三十年的合作信心十足，已提前开始整地——辣椒种植是连续作业，采收与播种几乎无缝衔接。

Tran agrees. And in October he hires a drone operator to record the harvester in action. A month later, the 2016 harvest is complete, and Underwood and Tran set out to make the deal for the next harvest. But Underwood is so confident they'll reach a deal, as they have for nearly thirty years, he's already preparing the ground. Growing peppers is a continuous process with little downtime between harvesting one crop and planting the next.

2016年11月初，双方达成协议：陈德以每英亩1.3万美元的价格收购1700英亩辣椒，总价超2200万美元，其中1800万预付。和过去十年一样，这次仍以握手缔约，未签署书面合同。

In early November twenty sixteen, Underwood and Tran reach an agreement. Tran will pay $13,000 per acre for 1,700 acres of peppers. That's a total of a little over $22,000,000 and Tran agrees to pay $18,000,000 of that up front. And as has been the standard for the two men for the past decade or so, they seal the deal with a handshake. They don't bother with a written contract.

几天后，正在夏威夷携妻女孙辈度假的安德伍德，突然接到运营经理吉姆·罗伯茨的紧急来电。“吉姆，我能待会回电吗？正要陪孙子们玩趴板冲浪呢。”

A few days later, Underwood heads to Hawaii for a vacation. He's on the beach with his wife, daughters and grandchildren when he receives a frantic call from his operations manager, Jim Roberts. Jim, can I call you back? I'm about to go boogie boarding with my grandkids.

很抱歉打扰您休假，但出了非常严重的问题。

I'm sorry to bother you on vacation, but something really bad has happened.

怎么了？你没事吧？

What? Are you okay?

我没事。我很好，但我们和魏芳的协议已经结束了。

I'm fine. I'm fine, but our agreement with Wei Fang is over.

等等，你在说什么？我离开前刚和他们达成交易。

Wait a minute. What are you talking about? I just made the deal with them right before I left.

我知道，但今天我接到电话让我去他们总部取些设备。我刚到那儿，Tran就说他成立了一家新公司，由他嫂子Donna Lam经营，想让我为这家公司工作。

I know, but I got a call today asking me to come to their headquarters and pick up some equipment. And as soon as I got there, Tran said he'd formed a new company that his sister-in-law, Donna Lam, is gonna run, and they wanted me to work for it.

什么？新公司？他们还试图挖走你？

What? A new company? And they tried to poach you?

我当然拒绝了，但这还不是最严重的。然后Tran说他想以每吨500美元的价格收购辣椒。我告诉他这个价格我们会亏本，但他根本不在乎。

Now I I've obviously, I said no, but that's not the biggest issue. Then Tran said he wanted to pay $500 per ton for the chilies. I told him that would have us operating at a loss, but he didn't care.

不，不，不，等等。这肯定有什么误会。

No. No. No. Wait a minute. There just has to be a misunderstanding.

我们已经谈好每亩13000美元的价格。听着，我会和David谈谈。

We already agreed on $13,000 per acre. Look, I'll talk to David.

我觉得这是个圈套。他们以取设备为借口骗我今天过去。知道你不在城里，就想趁机挖走我。成立这家新公司是想把辣椒种植业务收归自营，把我们踢出局。我敢说他们没安好心。

I think this was a setup. I think they used picking up the equipment as an excuse to get me to come in today. They knew you were out of town and they're trying to poach me. And I think with this new company, they want to bring the pepper growing in house and cut us out. I'm telling you, they're up to no good.

我发誓。

I swear.

哦，得了吧。不可能。David和我是一条船上的，他一直说只要我种辣椒，他就会收购。

Oh, come on. No way. That can't be true. David and I are in this together. He's always said as long as I grow peppers, he'll buy them.

听着，我会回家的。我们会解决这个问题。但当安德伍德挂断电话时，尽管夏威夷天气温暖，他却感到一阵寒意袭来。他把整个生意都押在了伟丰食品上。他信任陈大卫。

Look, I'll I'll come home. We'll straighten this out. But as Underwood hangs up the phone, he feels a chill go through him despite the balmy Hawaii weather. He's banked his entire business on Weifong Foods. He trusted David Tran.

但他也突然意识到，没有极度野心的人不可能取得陈那样的成功。安德伍德脑海中一个微弱的声音告诉他，陈已经认定与安德伍德的关系不再有利可图。但安德伍德压下了这个声音。他了解陈，近三十年的商业合作意味着什么。他会解决这个问题。

But it also hits him that no one has the success Tran has had without being extremely ambitious. A small voice inside Underwood's head tells him that Tran has decided that the relationship with Underwood is no longer beneficial. But Underwood silences that voice. He knows Tran, almost thirty years of business together, means something. He'll fix this.

他必须解决。如果他们的交易取消，安德伍德可能会把家族农场赔给曾经拯救过他们的公司。这里是《商业战争》第一集：伟大的Sriracha之争。关于场景重现的说明：您听到的大部分对话无法精确还原，这些场景是戏剧化演绎，但基于历史研究。若想了解更多，我们推荐阅读《财富》杂志Indrani Sen所著《Sriracha短缺的真正原因》，以及《福布斯》Giacomo Tognini所写《越南难民陈大卫如何成为辣酱亿万富翁》。我是主持人David Brown。

He has to. If their deal is off, Underwood could lose the family farm to the same company that once saved From wondering, this is episode one of the great Sriracha feud for business wars. A quick note about recreations you've been hearing, in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, those scenes are dramatizations, but they are based on historical research. If you'd like to read more, we recommend What Really Caused the Sriracha Shortage by Indrani Sen, published in Fortune, and How Vietnamese Refugee David Tran Became a Hot Sauce Billionaire by Giacomo Tognini, published in Forbes. I'm your host, David Brown.

本故事由Austin Rackless撰写。音效设计Kyle Randall。配音演员Chloe Elmore和Ivan Long。事实核查Gabrielle Jo le。制作人Tristan Donovan、Yellow Ant和Kate Young。

Austin Rackless wrote this story. Sound designed by Kyle Randall. Voice acting by Chloe Elmore and Ivan Long. Fact checking by Gabrielle Jo le. Our producers are Tristan Donovan and Yellow Ant and Kate Young.

执行制作人Desi Blalot。高级执行制作人Callum Plews。资深制作人Emily Frost和Dave Schilling。荣誉制作人Karen Lowe。监制Jenny Lower Beckman和Marshall Louie，Wundering出品。

Our managing producer is Desi Blalot. Our senior managing producer is Callum Plews. Our senior producers are Emily Frost and Dave Schilling. Karen Lowe is our producer Emeritus. Our executive producers are Jenny Lower Beckman and Marshall Louie for Wundering.