The latest TikTok trend to sweep the internet is one of the most mind-boggling yet: Millions of users are now transfixed by innovative ways to use canned seafood.
As a cost-cutting snack, the canned “delicates” are almost unmatched — but the fish craze is causing a shortage at a time when many poor Americans are looking to cut their weekly food budgets while battling high inflation.
The #tinnedfish TikTok page has over 30 million devoted viewers, where creators reveal how to create an assortment of dishes using sardines, tuna and mackerel.
And as the seafood mania continues to take over, companies looking to stock the shelves are struggling to keep up.
Millions of TikTok users flock to watch canned seafood recipe videos every day
The popular cost-cutting snack has gained popularity recently thanks to the fish craze
Bizarrely, despite canned fish being one of the oldest foods on the market, with a history dating back to the 1700s, many young TikTok users are only now discovering it because of its “niche” appeal.
And with huge sales, it’s a trend that will add billions to the market in years to come.
The craze has makers routinely posting recipe videos on how best to use the seafood, with many far removed from the roots of the products on the shelf.
Expensive cheeses, fine wines and an assortment of charcuterie boards are a common theme of the viral videos, some of which attract more than five million viewers.
Users have even said they got cans of mackerel and tuna for Valentine’s Day, while others are “obsessed” with drinking the oily brine from the can or pairing it with their favorite beverage.
Makers jumping on the trend are also staying away from the classic options, opting instead for luxury cans that cost a lot more than the budget packs people grew up with.
Some companies are trying to capitalize, with canned goods makers like Bumble Bee launching a line of high-end cans to jump on the seafood boom.
“It’s possible to have a gastronomic experience with a can of tuna,” emphasized Jeremy Zavoral, director of marketing for the Bumble Bee brand. Wall Street Journalpointing to the brand’s latest line of youth tins.
The trend has led other companies to even partner with social media creators, as many now boast flavored oils and price-boosting designs that barely resemble the classic canned fish products of decades past.
Brands are following the trend for good reason — U.S. canned fish sales rose nearly 10 percent to $2.7 billion last year, according to data provider Euromonitor International.
The industry even expects to enter a golden age for canned fish, with the market forecast to exceed $11 billion by 2027, according to IndustryARC.
Commenters within the TikTok hashtag consistently complain that they can’t find the same products used by their favorite influencers.
And as they rack up record profits, canned fish insiders are quietly worried that their recent prosperity is also hampering supply chains.
From working with fishermen to catch the large numbers of fish, to handing out the only 18 canneries in the US, anecdotal complaints about empty shelves could soon become reality.
“This kind of artisanal production cannot easily be scaled up,” Patrick Martinez, the founder of Tinned Fish Market, added to WSJ.
Canned fish company Fishwife is one of the most popular brands among TikTok influencers thanks to its flashy packaging
One of the trend’s most popular subsets is a “canned fish date night,” where foodies post their couples’ dinners while enjoying salty clams and scallops by candlelight.
Professional chef Ali Hooke, reportedly the start of the date night trend for canned fish, revealed that the craze is already hitting grocery stores — with her local supermarket recently posting a “canned fish” sign at the entrance as a marketing ploy.
Her weekly videos showcasing her varied date night treats such as wine, crackers, cheese — and canned food — have earned her over 100,000 viewers.
Hooke is also one of the influencers who signed a sponsorship deal, with Vancouver-based brand Scout Canning recently revealing that it receives about 500 customer referrals per month thanks to its TikToks.
With fish flying off the shelves, the company saw its revenue increase 82% last year, bringing in $4 million purely from its canned fishing line.
“I didn’t expect to get a response at all. I just posted it because it was what we were doing, what we ate and we loved it,” Hooke shared TIME.
The trend working its way through TikTok has even had viewers claiming they got canned fish for Valentine’s Day
Canned fish date nights are one of the most popular subsets of the trend, with users showing off their upscale wine and cheese date setups alongside canned seafood
Canned fish date nights are one of the most popular subsets of the trend, with users showing off their upscale wine and cheese date setups alongside canned seafood
As the canned fish market is enjoying a renaissance thanks to the latest outlandish online fad, canned fish producer Wildfish Cannery told the outlet they are struggling to keep up with demand — a problem that TikTok-favorite brand Fishwife is also facing.
Despite the cans costing more than $10, the company’s retro design and flashy marketing is a hit with the hashtag’s biggest influencers.
The company has recently reportedly grown by 9,900% since launching in 2020, which is no mean feat considering the complex line of products required to make the cans.
“It becomes this gourmet snack that literally took five minutes to put together. I think that really resonated with my audience,” added Danielle Matzon, a canned fish video producer who draws an audience of more than half a million people.
