Why Cottage Cheese Might Be Harder To Find In 2026

For as many reasons as health gurus have given while harping about the benefits of cottage cheese over the decades, there are just as many people who absolutely cannot stand the lumpy dairy product. Cottage cheese brands have known this and recognized the comings and goings of their regular customers, and have adjusted their sales and marketing accordingly. So, imagine the surprise of these brands when, in the post-pandemic years, those yogurt-sized cups of chunky cottage cheese started flying off the shelf so quickly that there wasn't enough product in stock to replace them.

Love it or hate it, cottage cheese has gone uber, mega viral in the last few years, as people have suddenly become aware of its versatility, as well as its high-protein, low-sugar benefits. Though the virality of cottage cheese first boomed around 2023, supply still hasn't quite caught up with demand, even for some of the largest cottage cheese brands on the planet, which is why this dairy product is one of those grocery items that might be more difficult to find in 2026. It started as a TikTok trend, as most fads do these days, where influencers taught viewers how to make popular foods healthier using cottage cheese. Those videos racked up millions and millions of views, which meant more people were going to grocery stores, buying all the cottage cheese they could fit in their hands, and suddenly finding shortages across the globe.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly which TikToks started the cottage cheese boom, but brands began seeing a major jump in their sales around late 2023 and 2024, and surging as much as 20% in 2025. This once-popular boomer food became a staple of viral protein recipes, with influencers making cottage cheese ice creams, buffalo chicken dips, queso, bread, cheesecake, and more. According to information from DataM Intelligence, the cottage cheese market will likely reach $149.41 billion by 2030, and boast a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.8% between the period of 2023 and 2030. Data from the USDA (via DRG News) shows that the average consumption rate of cottage cheese for Americans rose to 2.4 pounds per person in 2024, which is the highest it's been since 2009.

To combat the sudden boom, many cottage cheese brands, such as Good Culture and Organic Valley, are increasing capacity by opening the floor to manufacturing partners. Some companies, such as Daisy Brand (one of eight cottage cheese brands we ranked), are opening new facilities to deal with the surge, while others are investing in more equipment. New competitors are entering the market, capitalizing on the rise in popularity, while time-tested brands are working as quickly as they can to increase plant capacity, forced to apologize for supermarket shortages in the meantime. While companies struggle to keep up with the internet's latest food obsession, there's no doubt that social media will soon turn its eye to another food, and the cycle will begin again.