How One Viral TikTok Trend Led To A Cucumber Shortage Across An Entire Country

It’s not every day a trending recipe sparks a nationwide shortage.

Jesse

• Published in News
• August 28, 2024

Just when you thought TikTok had reached its peak of bizarre trends, it surprised us all yet again. From dance challenges to cooking hacks, the platform is never short of ideas that somehow manage to go viral. 

But who could have predicted that a simple vegetable could cause such a stir? That’s right, folks—cucumbers are the latest victims of TikTok trends, and Iceland is feeling the crunch.

It all started innocently enough with Logan Moffitt, a Canada-based TikToker who has since been dubbed the "cucumber guy." Logan's videos, which feature him joyfully munching on cucumbers and sharing his favorite salad recipes, have taken the internet by storm. 

With catchphrases like "Sometimes, you just need to eat a whole cucumber," Logan has single-handedly turned the humble cucumber into a social media sensation. 

His enthusiastic "CUCUMBER COMMUNITY!!!!" posts have spurred a frenzy among his followers, who have started experimenting with their own cucumber-based recipes. But while Logan’s veggie love fest has delighted TikTok users worldwide, it has left Icelandic cucumber suppliers in quite the pickle.

The trend quickly spread to Iceland, where social media influencers picked up on Logan’s cucumber craze and shared their unique takes on his recipes. The most popular among them involves grated cucumbers mixed with sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar, and chili oil—sounds delicious, right? 

Scroll down for more details on this bizarre story.

Logan Moffitt, the TikTok sensation behind the cucumber craze, showing off his prized haul.

Iceland’s cucumber shelves are looking a little bare thanks to a TikTok trend that's taken the nation by storm

Sveinsdóttir emphasized that this is the first time they've faced a situation quite like this, despite Iceland producing around six million cucumbers annually.

"Everything is happening at the same time," she explained, pointing to the convergence of TikTok trends and agricultural cycles that has thrown the country’s cucumber supply into chaos.

Indeed, TikTok truly is the king of social media.

Well, it’s so popular that it has sparked an unprecedented surge in demand for cucumbers across the Nordic country. The Horticulturists’ Sales Company (SFG), Iceland’s farmers association, has reported that suppliers are struggling to keep up with the unexpected spike in cucumber consumption. 

One supermarket chain, Hagkaup, even pointed fingers directly at TikTok for the supply issues—but there might be more to the story. Ms. Sveinsdóttir from the SFG suggested to BBC News that the sudden shortage might not solely be due to the viral trend. 

Apparently, many cucumber farmers in Iceland replace their plants around this time of year, leading to a temporary dip in production. Add to that the annual back-to-school rush, which often impacts vegetable supply, and you've got a perfect storm brewing in Iceland's produce aisles.

Iceland produces a staggering amount of cucumbers every year, but even that impressive number has been no match for the TikTok-fueled demand. 

Whether this trend will fizzle out like so many before it or continue to keep Icelandic cucumbers in high demand remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure: when it comes to TikTok trends, no one is safe—not even your salad!

Jesse