Icelandic farmers are struggling to meet demand after a viral cucumber recipe on TikTok appears to have overwhelmed the country's supply, the Independent reported.
Supermarkets in the Nordic nation are now facing a surge in demand, with cucumber sales doubling after a salad recipe by popular foodie Logan Moffitt, known as the "cucumber guy," gained traction among influencers.
The Horticulturists' Sales Company (SFG), which represents Iceland's farmers, informed BBC News that they struggle to keep up with the rising consumer demand but expect the supply to return to normal "in a week or so."
Daniel Sigthorsson, 30, a resident of Reykjavik, told The New York Times that cucumbers were completely sold out in his local stores. "I thought it was strange," he said with a laugh. "Cucumbers are something we never run out of in Iceland. Then I saw the news."
On TikTok, Logan Moffitt (@logagm) is recognized as a key figure in the "Cucumber Community," where he shares a variety of recipes for cold cucumber salads in jars. With over 4.8 million followers and videos averaging 2 to 6 million views, Moffitt has gained popularity for his simple yet delicious cucumber dishes.
In a video posted on July 19, Mr mentioned that he was about to go to sleep but suddenly craved an entire cucumber.
His signature style involves slicing a whole cucumber with a mandoline over a Tupperware container, then adding various seasonings such as soy sauce, chilli flakes, shaved garlic, sesame seeds, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Moffitt vigorously shakes the container to mix the ingredients before eating the cucumber slices with metal chopsticks.
Kristin Linda Sveinsdottir, director of the SFG, noted that supermarkets have also seen increased sales of other ingredients featured in Moffitt's videos. She explained that the trend has significantly affected the current supply issues.
"This is the first time we've experienced something like this," Sveinsdottir said, adding that if the trend had started earlier in the year when cucumber production was at its peak, the stocks would have been sufficient.
Despite Iceland's challenging climate, farmers take pride in growing a variety of crops such as potatoes, rhubarb, turnips, radishes, carrots, broad beans, peas, and strawberries. They even use geothermal energy to cultivate more tropical produce like peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers in greenhouses.
Meanwhile, TikToker Jackson Dean had a mishap while trying Moffitt's recipe, accidentally cutting his finger on the mandoline blade. His video, captioned "Moments before disaster," revealed that he had to visit the emergency room shortly after the incident.
