What is cancoillotte, and why is it called “glue” on social media? It's a French cheese and has become an overnight sensation on Instagram and TikTok

A French cheese from the country's eastern region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté has recently gone viral on Instagram and TikTok. It is called cancoillotte, but has been nicknamed "glue" because of its texture. Visually, it resembles yogurt, although its color is slightly darker. Its flavor is not far from that of fondue, and it can be served both hot – for example over potatoes – and cold as a spread.

Cancoillotte became so popular after several content creators posted videos on social media praising the product, partly because of its very low price and low fat content. "Glue" is made from another French cheese called metton, which is produced from cow's milk and then melted and flavored with salt and butter. Despite its low calorie content, influencers who have tried it say it is surprisingly tasty.

The rise in sales of "glue"

According to French media reports, thanks to cancoillotte's success on Instagram and TikTok, sales of the product have increased significantly. The newspaper Libération, for example, reported that in April purchases of the so-called "glue" rose by nearly 15 percentage points in Carrefour supermarkets, while sales of the garlic-flavored version increased even more.

Cheese producers, however, did not expect such a sudden surge in demand, which is why stocks appear to have run down much faster than anticipated. Across French social media, numerous memes have emerged about cancoillotte's unexpected success, to the point that it has been dubbed "the new matcha".

Where cancoillotte's popularity comes from

In 2013, an association dedicated to promoting cancoillotte was established in France. In addition to investing in educational initiatives to raise awareness of the cheese and its history, given that it has been produced in the country for more than a century, the association also collaborated with several chefs to develop recipes that showcased its versatility.

As a result, by 2018 cancoillotte's popularity had already grown considerably, with sales increasing by more than 30 percent compared to the previous year. This long-term effort to promote the cheese contributed to its receiving PGI certification (Protected Geographical Indication) in 2022, the European label that protects products linked to a specific territory and certain stages of their production process. The certification further enhanced cancoillotte's reputation, turning it into a cheese sought after even by tourists visiting the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.