can't find cottage cheese? 'protein-maxxing' and social media stardom may be to blame
3 minute read
increased consumer demand for cottage cheese amid the protein craze has led to supply shortages.
john mahoney/montreal gazette
in the 1980s, cottage cheese was considered the ultimate diet food. after falling out of fashion, the fresh cheese is very much back in style.
the revival is going so strong in a tiktok-driven era of “protein-maxxing” that some canadians have reported trouble finding cottage cheese on store shelves from b.c. to prince edward island.
over the past two years, cottage cheese sales in canada have increased by more than 60 per cent, a spokesperson at agropur, the parent company of sealtest, told national post via email. as a result, agropur and other cottage cheese suppliers say that they’re “currently in a situation where market demand exceeds supply.”
a spokesperson for gay lea foods, producer of nordica cottage cheese, said that demand has been building for several years and recently picked up momentum. “the category is now one of the fastest-growing segments in dairy, driven by strong consumer interest in high-protein, nutritious and versatile foods.”
grocery store chains loblaw and metro told national post that they’ve seen more demand for cottage cheese across their stores. loblaw attributed the heightened interest to “its high-protein and low-calorie nutritional profile,” and said it is working with suppliers “to support this increased demand.” metro said it “may at times result in supply constraints at the supplier level.”
suppliers credit the surge in demand to canadians’ interest in high-protein foods as well as cottage cheese’s popularity on social media, where creative, protein-packed recipes abound.
affordability is also a factor. representatives of agropur and gay lea foods both noted that cottage cheese is among the more affordable ways for canadians to incorporate more protein into their meals and snacks as meat prices continue to climb.
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cottage cheese has built a reputation as a “protein powerhouse,” with 11.5 grams of protein per a roughly half-cup serving compared to greek yogurt’s 8.7 grams.
it may be infinitely more appetizing than its 20th-century iteration, but cottage cheese’s modern makeover has some yearning for the days “when it was cheap and uncool.” as demand has soared, so have prices, with some reporting paying more than triple what they did five years ago.
“cottage cheese prices in canada have jumped roughly 60 per cent since 2020 — from about $3.20 to over $5 per tub today,” sylvain charlebois, visiting scholar at mcgill university and senior director of the agri-food analytics lab at dalhousie university, posted on x in march. “ironically, just as prices climb, tiktok has rediscovered cottage cheese, turning a once-declining product into a high-protein trend again.”
the resurgence of cottage cheese over the past several years hasn’t been without casualties in the dairy aisle. in september 2025, soaring consumer demand caused organic meadow to discontinue its two per cent cottage cheese, a decision a spokesperson told national post was “made from circumstances beyond our control.”
the guelph, ont.-headquartered company is “actively exploring all options” to address capacity constraints and restore cottage cheese to its lineup, according to the representative. “this process will take time, and we cannot provide any assurances on a timeframe.”
meanwhile, agropur facilities are operating at full capacity. to help meet canadians’ growing appetite for cottage cheese, the company announced a multi-million-dollar investment to increase production at its amqui, que., facility last fall. it expects to complete the project in 2027.
like agropur, gay lea foods has experienced “very strong demand that at times exceeds our current production capacity,” a spokesperson said. the company is making investments in its facilities, optimizing production and working with retail partners to expand capacity and manage availability.
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“while we recognize that some retailers may be experiencing intermittent shortages, we are encouraged by the strong consumer interest in the category and are committed to supporting its continued growth.”
as erin matier, senior director of gay lea foods’ dairy business unit, said in 2024, when national post first reported on the cottage cheese trend, the kind of organic growth it’s experiencing due to social media is “magic.”
“not only is the company, the brand, the category, not having to pay for advertising, it means that it’s real,” said matier. “(consumers) found a renewed love for cottage cheese.”
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