TikTok trend Salad recipe leads to cucumber crisis in Iceland
Icelandic supermarkets are in trouble after a viral TikTok trend led to an unprecedented surge in demand for cucumbers.
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- A recipe for cucumber salad goes viral.
- The result: cucumbers are in short supply in Iceland.
- Farmers can't keep up with production.
Iceland's cucumber crisis began when social media influencers in the small Nordic country shared a salad recipe made from grated cucumber, sesame oil, garlic, rice vinegar and chili oil. Over and over again.
The recipe was so successful that farmers in the country were unable to keep up with the increasing demand. The marketing director of the Icelandic Farmers' Association toldBBC News. According to her, other ingredients in the recipe were also sold out.
The viral trend has its roots in Canada, where TikToker Logan Moffitt - also known as "cucumber guy" - has shared innovative recipes with cucumbers. The influencer has more than 5.5 million followers and has been sharing cucumber recipes almost daily since July.
According to the Icelandic Farmers' Association, however, other factors could also play a role in the shortage of cucumbers. For example, some cucumber farmers replaced their cucumber plants at this time of year. In addition, many families return from their summer vacations, which puts additional pressure on the supply.
Icelandic farmers produce around six million cucumbers for 393,600 inhabitants. They are proud of the amount of fresh produce that the country is able to produce despite the often extreme weather conditions.