It’s not every day that cottage cheese makes headlines, but here we are in 2025, and it’s suddenly one of the hardest grocery items to find in Australia. The surge in demand really took off at the start of the year, surprising just about everyone—from supermarket managers to dairy farmers. The spark? Viral recipe videos on TikTok that have sent Australians (and their breakfast routines) in a new direction.
How TikTok Recipes Flipped the Script on Cottage Cheese
So, how did a decades-old dairy staple end up in the social media spotlight? It comes down to a perfect storm of food trends and short, punchy videos. People started posting recipes for things like “cottage cheese mousse” and even high-protein “cottage cheese chips.” Suddenly, cottage cheese wasn’t just something a few health nuts put on toast.
TikTokers made cottage cheese seem cool by showing it off in both classic and crazy new ways. You’d see someone blend it with honey and berries for a dessert, then scroll a little further and find another video turning it into a creamy dip for veggies. These videos racked up millions of views and sent shoppers scrambling to the dairy aisle.
A big part of the appeal? Nutrition. A lot of TikTok creators talk up the health benefits—cottage cheese is high in protein, has relatively little fat, and is seen as less processed than other snacks. The trend really took off when fitness and lifestyle accounts joined the craze, showing how easy it is to work cottage cheese into most meals.
The Wild World of Viral Cottage Cheese Creations
The sheer range of recipes people came up with is pretty wild. Classic uses like mixing cottage cheese into scrambled eggs or spreading it on toast definitely got more attention. But some of the biggest viral hits have been the most unexpected.
Take “cottage cheese ice cream” as an example. Someone figured out you can blend cottage cheese with fruit and a bit of sweetener, then freeze it for a quick, protein-rich dessert. Then there’s the “cottage cheese chip” trend, where people bake dollops of cottage cheese in the oven until crispy. Both ideas spread everywhere—Instagram caught on, but TikTok was where these recipes really went viral.
It’s not all sweet stuff, either. Cottage cheese has popped up in savory dips, salad dressings, even in pasta sauces. Some folks like it with a drizzle of olive oil and tomatoes, while others swear by blending it into smoothies. The health-friendly angle makes all of these recipes feel like little wins for followers trying to eat better without giving up on taste.
Retailers and Producers Struggle to Keep Up with Demand
All this buzz turned into real sales, fast. Starting in January, grocery stores like Coles and Woolworths noticed cottage cheese was disappearing off the shelves. At first, managers thought it might be a supply chain blip—maybe a missed delivery or two. But as the trend kept growing, it became clear demand had shot far ahead of normal.
Producers like Bulla Dairy Foods started running extra shifts just to keep up. They’ve talked publicly about double-digit growth in cottage cheese sales, compared to where things were last year. Even with added production, stores say it’s tough to restock before someone posts another viral recipe and the shelves are empty again by the afternoon.
And it’s not just specialty food shops or gym crowds snapping these tubs up. Regular families, college students, and even people who hadn’t bought cottage cheese in years suddenly wanted it. You could probably count the number of weeks you could reliably find cottage cheese at most major grocers on one hand so far this year.
Consumers Get Creative (or Desperate)
With shortages dragging on, social media users started looking for cottage cheese substitutes. Some swapped in quark—a soft, tangy cheese that’s a bit smoother and lighter. Others tried ricotta, feta, or bocconcini balls in recipes they saw on TikTok.
The reactions were mixed. Some folks said the substitutes worked, but plenty complained the texture or taste just wasn’t the same as cottage cheese. A few TikTokers did follow-up videos reviewing alternatives, and while they found some clever swaps, most agreed there really is something unique about the original.
Anecdotal stories online range from people stocking up with three or four tubs at a time (whenever they luck out and find any) to others who’ve checked five supermarkets in a single afternoon. It’s taken on a weird kind of urgency—no one wants to be left out of the latest healthy trend, but there’s just not enough product to go around.
Why Nutrition Experts Like the Cottage Cheese Craze
Nutrition professionals aren’t always thrilled about social media diet trends, but the cottage cheese phenomenon has gotten an overall thumbs-up. Accredited dietitians explain that one tub packs a solid amount of protein, plus calcium and B vitamins, while staying relatively low in saturated fat. That makes it appealing for anyone looking to boost protein in their breakfast, lunch, or post-workout snack.
Some experts do remind us that, like anything, it matters what you combine it with. If your cottage cheese chips are coated in salt or eaten with a pile of processed crackers, some of the nutritional benefits get lost. The good news is, the vast majority of the viral recipes floating around are easy to keep healthy.
Another interesting point: the shortage hit just as researchers have started looking into the potential of cottage cheese as a “cultured dairy” product. There’s limited but growing interest in how the bacteria cultures used in cottage cheese might help with digestion, protein absorption, and metabolic health.
A lot of this is early-stage research—it’s not like anyone’s claiming cottage cheese is a secret cure-all. But it’s enough to get both nutritionists and curious foodies paying attention.
Dairy Industry Works to Meet Demand
While you might not expect cottage cheese to be a product with major manufacturing bottlenecks, the sudden surge has caught the dairy industry off guard. Producers can’t switch to making more cottage cheese overnight. It takes time for farmers to adjust their milk deliveries, and for processing plants to add new production lines or more shifts.
Some cottage cheese makers have already announced expansion plans, though that won’t translate to full shelves for several months. Supply chain managers say spikes like this are tricky—if they ramp up too fast and demand cools suddenly, they can be left with a lot of unsold product and wasted resources.
A few smaller, regional dairies are benefiting. Their cottage cheese can sometimes be found in independent or farmers market-style shops, but only if you’re ready to shop around and maybe pay a few extra dollars for a locally-made tub. Some health food stores have shifted more orders toward quark or strained yogurt producers while waiting for the big brands to catch up.
You’ll see reports and industry updates on sites like Daily Business Voice discussing how both logistics and marketing teams are still adjusting. Dairy execs say they’ve never seen such a sharp, sustained spike tied to a meme or social media moment, not even with previous “superfood” crazes. They’re cautiously optimistic the interest will stick around for at least a few more months.
Looking Ahead (and Back at the Phenomenon)
As of June 2025, cottage cheese is still a hot commodity. Shelves get restocked, but tub counts stay low and word spreads quickly when a particular store receives a shipment. Some shoppers say they almost feel guilty grabbing two tubs instead of one.
Big supermarket chains are working closely with their suppliers, and the expectation is things will even out—eventually. Until then, if you’re craving cottage cheese chips, mousse, or just want a scoop on your toast, be prepared for a bit of a hunt.
The shortage has become a talking point for everyone from fitness fans to tired parents trying to keep up with food trends. Whether the cottage cheese craze will last or get bumped aside by the next viral snack is anyone’s guess. For now, producers are hustling to scale up, nutritionists hope the healthy eating focus sticks, and everyday shoppers will probably keep watching social media for the next trending recipe.
For those of us just looking for a simple breakfast or snack, cottage cheese isn’t exactly gold dust—but you might need to hunt a little harder to find it for a while longer.
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