Cucumber TikTok trend responsible for supply shortages in Iceland

Icelandic supermarkets have found themselves in a bind after a viral TikTok trend led to an unprecedented surge in demand for cucumbers – leaving suppliers racing to keep up.

This came after social media influencers in the small Nordic country began sharing a salad recipe made from grated cucumber, sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar and chili oil.

The recipe was so successful that the country's farmers could not keep up with the increasing demand, the Icelandic farmers' association Horticulturists' Sales Company (SFG) told BBC News.

While supermarket chain Hagkaup questioned the connection between demand and the trend, it admitted that cucumber purchases had more than doubled.

SFG's marketing director said Icelandic farmers are currently struggling to keep up with rising consumer demand, but expressed hope that supplies will return to normal “in about a week”.

Kristín Linda Sveinsdóttir said the recipe was “really popular” and the other ingredients in it were also sold out.

The viral trend has its roots in Canada – where TikToker Logan Moffitt, called “cucumber type”has shared novel recipes with this variety.

“Sometimes you just have to eat a whole cucumber,” is the influencer’s favorite phrase at the beginning of his numerous recipe videos.

The content creator has more than 5.5 million followers and has been sharing cucumber recipes almost daily since July.

The version that seems to have delighted users in Iceland uses sesame oil and rice vinegar, but sometimes Logan adds cream cheese, avocado and even smoked salmon.

Despite the influencer's continued online popularity, Icelandic experts are trying to downplay his connection to the ongoing shortage.

Hagkaup told the BBC that shortages of Icelandic cucumbers are common at this time of year.

While the company's food product manager, Vignir Þór Birgisson, said sales of ingredients such as sesame oil and some spices had “doubled” in its stores, he said the current shortage was not due to the TikTok trend alone.

Ms Sveinsdóttir from SFG also expressed skepticism, saying that other factors are at play. Some cucumber growers replace their cucumber plants at this time of year, which are not yet producing large quantities, she said.

In addition, schools are reopening after the summer holidays, which is putting additional pressure on supplies.

“Everything is happening at the same time,” Sveinsdóttir noted, but added that the social media trend remains one of the main factors.

“This is the first time we have seen something like this,” said Ms Sveinsdóttir, adding that the TikTok trend had become popular earlier in the summer, “when the [cucumber] Production was running at full speed and the shortage was not noticeable.

Farmers in Iceland – a country with a population of 393,600 – produce about six million cucumbers, Ms Sveinsdóttir told the BBC.

They are proud of the amount of fresh produce the country can produce despite the often extreme weather conditions.