Bad news for brunch - a 'global halloumi shortage' is coming

Oh dear.

polpo brunch
polpo brunch

Oh dear.

If you're a big brunch fan, you've probably visited some of London's best breakfast hotspots, making your way through various acai bowls, poached eggs on sour dough and shakshukas.

But you might notice some big changes the next time you hit up your local brunch spot.

Remember the outrage following the avocado ban? Many were shocked to find out that trendy cafes across the UK were ditching the millennial favourite from their menus following environmental concerns about how they are farmed.

And now another brunch classic could see itself slowly removed from your breakfast plate. Prepare yourselves - a 'global halloumi shortage' is coming.

Experts claim that an increased demand in other countries, such as China, has affected the UK as supermarkets are no longer able to keep stock levels up - leading to a price increase for Brits, who are currently the biggest consumers of the cheese outside of Cyprus. We reportedly eat 12,000 tonnes of the stuff a year, and account for 43% of exports.

The average price of halloumi has gone up 12% compared to this time last year, and The Grocer has analysed data to find that costs have soared 5% in the last month alone. Supermarket Aldi was even forced to ration their popular frozen halloumi fries recently to just two boxes per customer.

The website said: 'Demand for halloumi is also surging across the rest of Europe and in China where consumers have recently developed an appetite for the cheese.

'Last year, producers in Cyprus warned they were already struggling to keep up with demand and an export deal with China might lead to shortages in the UK.'

So be prepared.

Jadie Troy-Pryde
News Editor

Jadie Troy-Pryde is News Editor, covering celebrity and entertainment, royal, lifestyle and viral news. Before joining the team in 2018 as the Lifestyle and Social Media Editor, she worked at a number of women’s fashion and lifestyle titles including Grazia, Women’s Health and Stylist, and now heads the Marie Claire UK news desk.