A Scottish dairy company is experiencing a remarkable spike in cottage cheese sales, largely driven by a viral trend on TikTok that has rejuvenated interest in this classic dairy product. Graham’s Family Dairy, based in Fife, has announced a significant £3.5 million investment to expand its production capacity by 50%, which will also create 25 new jobs in the local community.
A Retro Revival
Once relegated to the culinary past of the 1970s and 1980s, cottage cheese is enjoying a renaissance thanks to a surge in social media influence. With TikTok food influencers showcasing creative recipes, such as “cottage cheese breakfast rounds” and “cottage cheese edible cookie dough,” the product has gained unprecedented visibility. The clips have attracted millions of views, highlighting how a simple dairy item can be transformed into trendy meals and snacks.
Supermarket giant Tesco reported a staggering tripling in demand for cottage cheese over the last two years. Graham’s Family Dairy has seen its sales double in the same period, equating to an additional two million kilograms sold. The UK market has also witnessed a significant increase, with monthly cottage cheese consumption leaping from approximately 900,000 kg early in 2023 to over 1.7 million kg by the end of 2025.
Meeting Unprecedented Demand
Robert Graham, managing director of Graham’s, noted that the trend was first observed around May 2023, prompting the company to ramp up production to meet the soaring demand. “The demand has simply been staggering, and our cottage cheese business is now larger than our milk business, which has been our core focus,” he explained. The company is now even exporting products to markets as distant as the Gulf States and Hong Kong.
The recent investment will enhance production across Graham’s entire cottage cheese range, including natural, low-fat, and high-protein varieties. Graham added, “This expansion allows us to maintain the traditional open-vat process that gives our cottage cheese a firmer curd and more natural texture.”
Tesco’s Response to the Trend
Elizabeth Tomkins, Tesco’s cottage cheese buyer, commented on the phenomenon, stating that the store is ordering as much cottage cheese as possible to keep up with the demand. “We’ve seen this trend before with other products, but this has become a fully-fledged culinary phenomenon that significantly benefits the UK dairy industry,” she remarked.
While cottage cheese has enjoyed steady sales historically, particularly during the summer and January fitness months, the current surge is attributed to its newfound popularity among younger consumers. This demographic shift is reshaping the perception of cottage cheese from a dietary staple to a versatile ingredient in innovative recipes.
Why it Matters
The resurgence of cottage cheese not only highlights the influence of social media on consumer behaviour but also underscores a broader trend towards embracing traditional foods in modern diets. As companies like Graham’s Family Dairy adapt to these shifts, they not only support local economies through job creation but also contribute to a renewed appreciation for classic culinary staples. This trend serves as a reminder of how cultural movements, particularly among younger generations, can reinvigorate industries and redefine what we consider to be fashionable in food.
