The Explosion of Veggies in Viral Dominance: Understanding the Cucumber Phenomenon Sweeping Social Media and Delivering Delicious Recipes
Transform the humble cucumber, oftentimes mistaken for a vegetable, into your focus. (It's technically a fruit, though frequently prepared like a vegetable in recipes.) It's not a forgotten gem among produce, but it doesn't possess the same flavor depth as butternut squash, nor does it spark heated debates like broccoli or brussel sprouts. It's more of a mild, neutral grocery store staple that doesn't demand viral fame.
Yet, the cucumber's moment in the digital spotlight arrived unexpectedly in July, thanks to popular home chef Logan Moffitt sharing a video of his unique cucumber usage. The promotion wasn't sponsored or sponsored by a cucumber manufacturer. Moffitt, with a substantial following of 3 million prior to his cucumber series, just wanted to shed light on one of his favorite foods.
Now, Moffitt is recognized as the "cucumber guy" on TikTok, consistently sharing cucumber-centric videos. He slices whole cucumbers with a mandoline, mixes them with various sauces, seasonings, and add-ins, shakes the concoction to blend, and samples it with silver chopsticks.
"Sometimes you need to eat an entire cucumber," he often tells viewers. "This is the best way to do it."
His simple yet flavorful recipes have earned millions of views, inspiring other influencers on the app to attempt his favorite recipes or create their own. (At least one of them suffered an accident with the mandoline, despite Moffitt constantly reminding viewers to be cautious of the sharp tool.)
"I think cucumbers are a really perfect baseline for a lot of different flavors," Moffitt told CNN. "They're also remarkably accessible — they're very cheap, especially this time of year, and so a lot of people can participate in the trend."
The cucumber's viral food trend momentum seems to be outlasting the typical TikTok trend lifespan. Moffitt's recipes, delivery, and digital acumen have contributed to the cucumber's longevity.
Behind the cucumber's unexpected ascent
At-home chefs on TikTok have a challenging balancing act: they must strike a balance between innovation and familiarity, according to Jenna Drenten, associate professor of marketing at Loyola University Chicago.
Moffitt has triumphed by making a humdrum fruit intriguing.
"Cucumbers are often overlooked when it comes to fame and glory in produce," Drenten said. "In his kitchen, though, cukes turn into a nutritious, subtle-tasting foundation for recipes where other flavors take center stage."
Among Moffitt's "best ways" to eat an entire cucumber (or two), according to him: cucumber kimchi, California roll cucumbers, and even peanut butter-and-jelly cucumber salad.
"It's cucumbers, but it's also not just cucumbers," Drenten said. "The equation he has for building these recipes is how to let other flavors shine with cucumbers as the base."
Moffitt's favorite recipe, a bagel-and-lox inspired salad, incorporates smoked salmon, everything bagel seasoning, cream cheese, capers, dill, and red onions with – you guessed it – cucumbers.
Moffitt's cucumber videos are also appealing to the TikTok algorithm and viewers. They're short, heavy on visuals, and require minimal actual cooking – most recipes are served chilled.
He's posting with the right frequency too, Drenten said: since his July 8 debut video, he's shared around 60 cucumber-focused videos, including a memorable clip where he concocts a salad while treading water in a lake – and he's posting new recipes almost every day.
"The style he posts with is very native to TikTok – this quick pace keeps people engaged and holds their attention as long as the TikTok algorithm will put them there," Drenten said.
TikTok's impact on sales is less transparent
Measuring whether the online cucumber craze has resulted in actual sales is difficult to quantify, according to Pamela Riemenschneider, retail editor at Blue Book Services, a marketing information agency for the produce industry.
The relevant sales data that would show if Moffitt's videos have led to a significant increase in cucumber sales is not yet available, Riemenschneider said. (Some commenters on Moffitt's videos have mentioned struggling to find cucumbers at their local grocery stores. Peak season for cucumbers typically runs May through August, though – a period when demand for the fruit is usually high.)
That's the challenge of influencer marketing, Drenten said – the relationship between virality and sales isn't always clear. Produce is particularly hard to influence people into buying because "it's not something that you can easily buy online," Drenten said. Although Moffitt's mandoline is easily available in his Amazon storefront, linked to his TikTok account.
"People are associating with him and the cucumbers are going viral," Drenten said. "But it's not always going to translate into actual purchases." "A lot of folks that may be seeing his content are simply there for the entertainment element rather than actually attempting the recipes themselves."
TikTok-popular recipes have indeed influenced grocery purchases: According to Riemenschneider, cherry tomato sales increased by 29% during the third complete week of January 2021, compared to the same period in the previous year. This was the time when TikTok's renowned baked feta pasta became a hit.
Despite cucumber's off-season, Moffitt remains cucumber-dedicated
Moffitt believes his cucumber videos resonate with people because he keeps it straightforward.
"Even novice cooks and experienced cooks can find inspiration in my videos," Moffitt stated. "Many of my recipes don't involve measurements, and I present them in a way that makes cooking stress-free and simple."
Moffitt isn't strictly a 'cucumber man'. He gained popularity on the app for sharing easy recipes like kimchi and cold noodles, and even incorporating large blocks of tofu into his videos. Tofu, like cucumbers, benefits from being the nutritious base in flavorful dishes.
However, it's cucumbers that will always hold a special place in Moffitt's heart. Even when cucumber's peak season ends and squashes take center stage as the seasonal produce, Moffitt assured that he'll still be a loyal cucumber consumer.
Despite Moffitt's love for various ingredients, he remains dedicated to cucumbers, even when they're not in season.In the context of the produce industry, cucumbers often don't receive the same level of fame as other vegetables.
