Viral TikTok cucumber recipes drive up sales as younger Australians smash a salad

Cucumbers are this year’s unlikely viral sensation on social media, spurring a spike in sales among younger Australians and shortages overseas.

The increase in cucumber consumption in 2024 has been linked to a series of simple cucumber recipes posted on TikTok by Canadian content creator Logan Moffitt which have been viewed tens of millions of times.

Rabobank analyst Pia Piggot said while the trend had passed its peak, research showed Australians were now eating more cucumbers — particularly in the younger cohort.

“Particularly at Gen Z age, and … probably partly due to the viral TikTok cucumber salads,” Ms Piggot said.

“In young, transitional households — people aged about 17-35 years old — they’ve seen a really significant rise in their cucumber consumption over the past year.

“Over 30 per cent in volume terms.”

The “insanely popular” recipe videos have also been linked to spikes in cucumber demand internationally throughout the year.

“In places like Iceland, they’ve led to cucumber shortages because people want to try this salad out,” Ms Piggot said.

“It was an organic trend and I think people were just really excited about the prospect of a new recipe that they haven’t tried.”

Trends changing eating habits

Even with cucumber prices down five per cent in the past year due mainly to seasonal conditions, the spike in consumption was still well above expectation.

Ms Piggot said viral recipe trends could help boost produce sales temporarily and also lead to ongoing changes in consumer behaviour.

“A few years back a feta pasta went viral on TikTok and it saw a significant rise in interest and people cooking and trying this recipe,” she said.

“It definitely goes a long way in showing that’s where young people get their recipe inspiration.

“So if you’re able to create trends and invest in marketing in the online social media space there’s definitely opportunities to grow consumption among younger consumers.

“Not all of them will continue to repeat buying and consuming those goods, but some of them will, so over a long time frame that’s quite positive.”

South Australian wholesaler George Antonas said cucumber demand was generally steady year-on-year, but 2024 had seen “spikes and lulls”.

He put it down to a range of factors — not just the influence of social media.

“What’s happening now is that we’re starting to get exceptional demand from the eastern states, especially Queensland, because their season ended very abruptly,” Mr Antonas said.

“Local sales have been great — a lot of the independent [supermarkets] really pushing the sales of cucumbers.

“Whether that demand is being spurred by an influential video on social media, that’s another thing altogether.”

South Australia is expected to produce large numbers this summer.

Mr Antonas hoped demand would continue so none would go to waste.

“Because of the tomato virus a lot of [farmers] have shied away from their usual crops of tomatoes because they’re too scared to get the virus and get their whole livelihoods knocked out,” he said.

“So instead of putting their usual tomato or capsicum crops they ended up putting in cucumbers.

“It’s going to create, unfortunately, a lot of food waste.”

While not a TikTok user himself, Mr Antonas appreciated anyone using the power of social media to create demand for fresh produce.

“People that promote stuff like that and in different ways that is actually enticing to consumers we love them already,” he said.

“As long as the demand is there, and we’re not throwing away anything, I’m happy.”