As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, you might not expect to see someone bring out a bag of grapes and munch on them under a table. However, if TikTok videos are any indication, the new manifestation trend with old roots will dominate on December 31.
And grape sales are already reflecting this.
Why It Matters
Eating 12 grapes to represent each month of the new year has long been a tradition to summon good luck. TikTok videos about the practice have brought the trend to new levels. Some viral videos show people freezing grapes to eat later, like candy.
This year, grape sales skyrocketed by 17 percent, and according to market research group Circana, social media has played a crucial role.
Grapes on a vine at the Lafayette Community Garden in Lafayette, California. Grapes have surged in sales over the past year, partly thanks to social media.
Grapes on a vine at the Lafayette Community Garden in Lafayette, California. Grapes have surged in sales over the past year, partly thanks to social media.
Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images
Eating 12 Grapes Under the Table: Meaning and Origin
The tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight has its roots in Spain, where grape farmers first ate their surplus of grapes after a bountiful harvest.
“The grapes for ‘good luck’ involves eating 12 grapes at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, each grape symbolizing a month in the year. It is believed to inspire good fortune for the year ahead,” Kevin Thompson, a finance expert and the founder and CEO of 9i Capital Group, told Newsweek.
The tradition says you must eat 12 grapes at midnight to symbolize each month of the new year and the good fortune you’re bringing in.
Increasing Grape Sales in 2024
Throughout 2024, grape sales increased by 17 percent, representing around 5.1 percent of total produce sales.
For fruit sales alone, grapes made up a whopping 10.4 percent of all sales for the 52 weeks ending May 11, 2024, according to Nielson Total U.S. data.
Freezing Grapes, TikTok Trends and Social Media
Young people are especially likely to tune into social media and subsequently update their grape-eating habits accordingly. One popular trend involves freezing grapes to eat them later as a treat.
“The idea of freezing grapes and serving them as a candy-like treat is both creative and appealing,” Thompson said. “On the financial side, advertisers have already seized this opportunity and are pushing the trend as far as they can to maximize its potential—squeezing as much juice out of it as possible.”
Research from Circana found that Gen Z spent 46 percent more on grapes than other generations.
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, a financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “We’ve seen a major increase in sales for items that have caught fire on social media, from clothes to grocery items that grab the attention of users scrolling through their feeds for ideas. With grapes in particular, a TikTok trend involving the freezing of grapes to make them taste more candy-like took hold and, as a result, retailers saw more grapes flying out of their produce sections and into customers’ baskets.”
Finance expert Kevin Thompson told Newsweek: “I can attest to the rise in grape sales—my son is likely one of the individuals driving this trend. Grapes are not only a wonderful alternative to sweets but also make a great substitute for salty sides like fries. TikTok has likely played a significant role in this shift, as social media trends often have the power to influence consumer habits, much like political movements can shape public opinion.”
What Happens Next
While the grocery industry and food producers have been dealing with higher prices over the last few years, consumers’ eating habits rarely change, Beene said. The grapes are the exception.
“The path to more sales may be less about a decline in prices and more about doing a better job of capturing the customer’s attention,” Beene said.
Why Are Grape Sales Skyrocketing? Thank TikTok
