Anyone who has been looking for skyr in the supermarket in recent weeks has probably already noticed: the popular yogurt variant is increasingly sold out. The cheaper house brands in particular are flying out the door. The cause? The enormous hype around protein-rich food, fueled by social media such as TikTok and Instagram. That’s what ‘De Tijd’ writes.
Luka Geets
Journalist at HLN
Source: De Tijd
LOOK. The racks with skyr are also noticeably empty at Aldi and Lidl
At chains such as Colruyt, Delhaize, Albert Heijn, Lidl and Aldi, the shelves with skyr have remained noticeably empty for weeks. The house brands are especially difficult to find. Dairy producers can hardly keep up with demand, says Colruyt.
“Our supplier has reached its limits and we purchase all the stock we can for Boni,” says spokeswoman Eva Biltereyst. Albert Heijn also confirms the problem. “The small amounts that we consume every day are usually gone by the end of the day,” they say.
Skyr is a thick yogurt from Iceland that contains little fat, but a lot of protein. This makes the product particularly popular among athletes and people who are conscious about nutrition. Sales therefore skyrocket. According to ‘De Tijd’, Delhaize sold no less than 88 percent more skyr between January and May than last year. Aldi has already seen sales increase by 30 percent this year.
The protein hype has a lot to do with that. Nowadays manufacturers put extra proteins in all kinds of products, from pasta to granola. But skyr naturally contains a lot of protein and is therefore seen as a ‘healthy’ choice.
Social media
Social media also play a major role. Recipes and health tips starring Skyr are constantly popping up on TikTok and Instagram. At the beginning of this year, a simple ‘Japanese cheesecake’ with skyr and Lotus caramelized biscuits became a hit worldwide.
Supermarkets tried to ride the trend. Delhaize expanded its range from 10 to 38 different skyr products in a year and a half. Aldi recently even added the Belgian brand Pur Natur to its range, something that is exceptional for the discounter.
But the shortages will not disappear immediately. Dairy companies currently give priority to their own brands, because they generate more profit than private labels for supermarkets. To solve the problem, some chains are now even sourcing their stock abroad. Albert Heijn, for example, gets skyr from Estonia. Other supermarkets mainly buy in Germany, where there have also been shortages for months.
