Why have cucumbers disappeared from Iceland?
There is a shortage of cucumbers in Iceland, while the consumption of cucumbers in the country is also very low. But why?
When was the last time you saw something on social media and decided to try it in real life? Maybe it was a new restaurant, a movie recommendation, a recipe or an outfit you liked. We all do this more often than we think, but Iceland took it to the next level, resulting in a nationwide cucumber shortage!
The shortage of cucumbers in Iceland is equivalent to long woollen coats being out of stock in Mumbai – you get the idea! While we in India love cucumbers on our salad platter because they keep us cool with their high water content in the summer months, Icelanders don’t exactly love this culinary honour in Iceland’s cold climate. Due to the harsh climate, animal products such as shark, lamb and dairy dominate Icelandic cuisine.
But that hasn’t stopped the frenzy caused by Canada-based social media star Logan Moffitt’s extremely adorable cucumber video.
Moffitt, known on the internet as “Cucumber Boy”, has taken the world by storm with his viral cucumber recipe videos. You can find hundreds of ways to eat the humble cucumber on his profile alone.
The clips mostly start with his signature line: “Sometimes, you just need to eat a whole cucumber.” He then cuts the cucumber using a vegetable cutter. The crisp, popping sound is enough to keep you hooked and watching.
View this post on Instagram
He then adds a variety of flavoring ingredients, usually in a plastic container, which may include sesame seeds, soy sauce, sour cream, steak, chili oil, cheese, tomatoes, onions, paprika, kimchi, eggs, fish sauce, mayonnaise, and “MSG, obviously!”
Thanks to her video and other influencers showcasing creative cucumber recipes, people are slicing, pickling, and enjoying cucumbers more than ever before. Quick and easy to make in a simple plastic deli container, this recipe will instantly make you say, “Oh, I could easily try this!”
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
For your information, there are 4 million posts of #Cucumber on Instagram alone (most of which are related to salad recipes).
Troubled times in Iceland
But in Iceland, this has complicated the situation. Grocery stores, supermarkets and gardeners’ associations have confirmed a surprising shortage of this ingredient, which is not used much in the region – something that is never in short supply in this Nordic country.
Those who want to try these viral cucumber salads are facing empty shelves of cucumbers in local grocery stores. Kronan, one of Iceland’s largest grocery chains, said that cucumber sales increased so fast that they did not have time to prepare.
Has social media really caused this shortage? Yes, because cucumber recipes and salad ingredients are also running out in Iceland.
Kronan’s online store has reported a huge increase (up by almost 200 percent) in the number of people searching for sesame oil, rice vinegar and fish sauce – common ingredients used in online recipes. Sesame oil has also sold out in some stores, Icelandic media reported.
Dealing with this shortage in Iceland has not been easy. Unlike well-connected regions, importing amid a shortage on this isolated island can be challenging and costly. Grocery chain Kronan had to order an ’emergency shipment’ of cucumbers from the Netherlands.
Fun fact: Cucumber Boy Logan Moffitt has 5.5 million followers on TikTok, which is 1,330 percent more than the population of Iceland (38.2 million).
Food shortage due to social media
Of course, this isn’t the first time that social media has caused a particular product to disappear from stores, especially in the food sector.
In 2020, instant coffee sales jumped after Dalgona coffee (which, by the way, just came out) Whipped The trend of ‘coffee’ increased significantly on social media during the Covid pandemic.
Similarly, remember when the viral sensation of baked feta pasta took over our feeds? It was in 2021. The simple recipe involved baking a block of feta cheese with cherry tomatoes and mixing it with pasta. The recipe took social media by storm and feta cheese blocks disappeared from the shelves of many grocery stores in Western countries as foodies rushed to try out this culinary trend.
Anyway, back to the cucumber thing. If you’re still eating cucumbers the same old boring way, what did you learn from this little short story? Maybe take some inspiration from Moffitt’s video!
