Soy it ain't so! Scarcity of beloved sauce in northern B.C. leads to bland meals and bidding wars

Prince George, B.C.,resident Judy Howard recently shelled out $50 for a six-pack of soy sauce after a family Facebook bidding war, and she feels like she got a pretty sweet deal or salty, to be more accurate.

A single bottle of Canadian-made China Lily Soya Sauce usually runs about $3 andis a staple in many kitchens in northern B.C., primarily in Indigenous households where it is often used liberally in traditional dishes such as eulachon and everyday dinner prep.

Currently, it is incredibly hard to come by,and that's causing a bit of a panic among regular purchasers.

The sauce is crafted by Lee Foods in Toronto.False rumours the factory is closing could be behind why grocery stores in B.C.'s northhave been cleaned out,Amazon has nothing to offer, and prices on eBay keep climbing.

Prince Rupert, B.C., resident Carolina de Ryk, host of CBC'sDaybreak North,caught the concerned chatter of locals on social media and contacted Lee Foods to find out why people were fearful their favourite brand was on the brink.

A woman at Lee Foods who took de Ryk's call said there are no plans to shut down the family-run business.

Her explanation for the shortage was simple: "China Lily Soya Sauce is the next toilet paper in the COVID-19 pandemic."

While hearing the company is still open may be a relief for some, the current situation remains dire for die-hard fans.So much so thatTahltan PresidentChad Day released a tongue-in cheek-warning on Facebook that soy sauce bootleggingwould not be tolerated.

Annita Macphee, who is Tahltanand lives in Vancouver, said she remembers rice with China Lily being a component of many childhood meals. She told de Ryk its popularity in many Indigenous kitchenscould be because so many Indigenous and Chinese people worked together at one time in coastal canneries.

"I've heard of people buying 16 bottles," she said, adding she currently has a line on some bottles that surfaced inPowell River, B.C., so she should be supplied for the time being.

Howard, meanwhile,is likely being hailed as a hero by her immediate family for the six-pack she scored after her nephew, Sheldon Howard, Jr., a Prince George resident originally from the Gitxsan community ofGitseguklain northwestern B.C., auctioned it off.

"I don't think it was extortion," said Howard, who uses the sauce to flavour much of her cooking, especially salmon and herring roe dishes.

This year, said Howard, a bottle or two from Santa would be a coveted Christmas gift for many in Gitsegukla.

Toreally dive down into the cultural significance of China Lily, De Ryk also spoke with Jeremy Pahl, also known as Saltwater Hank, a Tsimshian First Nation member and Prince Rupert resident.

He was plum out at the start of the week but, while it was weighing heavy, he said he was staying strong.

"We are going to get throughit, and future generations are going to look back and say my ancestors survived the great China Lily shortage of 2020," Pahlsaid with a chuckle.

Pahllater got lucky when some employees atCoast Mountain College called up de Ryk to let her know they had a bottle and it was Pahl's if he wanted it. You can bet he did.

But if you're not one of the lucky Howards, don't know about a stash out of town, and no kindly neighbour has tracked you down via the national broadcaster to offer you a spare bottle, don't despair Lee Foodsis still in full swing.

In a statement, company president Christopher Wong said while there have been some supply, shipping and staffing hiccups dueto the pandemic, customers can expect to see China Lily Soya Sauce back on the shelves within the coming weeks.

To hear Judy Howard talk about her Facebook auction score, tap the link below:

To hear more ofCarolina de Ryk'sinvestigation into the China Lily shortageDaybreak North, tap the link below: