Why Gen Z is happily spending $20 on the viral French butter taking over Toronto, Canada Reviews

TikTok trends are clearly here to stay, and they’ve fundamentally changed our relationship with food. From viral ‘healthy’ hacks to decadent desserts, the platform has become a primary influence on our plates. Its latest obsession? The creamy, high-fat world of French butter.

While French butter remains elusive in Canada, specialty boutiques like Douce France are bridging the gap. Johan Saba, son of the shop’s founder, has seen a definitive surge in sales — a shift he attributes to a more discerning, health-conscious consumer looking for premium, high-quality ingredients over mass-produced alternatives.

“The health industry consensus is shifting from ‘fats are the enemy and ‘cholesterol will kill you’ to realizing that highly processed foods were the culprits all along for issues like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, etc. Healthy fats for cooking and eating are regaining significant momentum, along side proteins,” Saba says. “Gen Z is at the centre of this trend, although it is population-wide in my view.” 

Saba also points out that, quite simply, French butter makes for better cooking. It all starts with the cows in regions like Brittany and Normandy. Because of the heavy rainfall there, the cows graze on fresh green grass almost year-round. This diet is packed with beta-carotene, which is what gives French butter its natural golden colour and rich flavour.

There’s also a technical edge: French butter has a higher fat content and less water than the average Canadian block. In Canada, the dairy industry is governed by a quota system designed for high-volume production and price stability. In France, producers aren’t tied to the same mandates, allowing them to prioritize terroir — the unique taste of the land — resulting in a richer, creamier product that’s a dream for bakers.

While the demand is soaring, getting the product onto Canadian soil is a logistical nightmare. Saba points out that the barriers aren’t just geographical, but political.

“Canada, for better or for worse, has a heavily protected dairy industry. It makes directly importing butter painfully complex and expensive. Douce France has many importer licences, but the process, paperwork, and tariffs for butter are prohibitively expensive and difficult to manage,” Saba explains. “Add a complex supply chain on top of that – Port of Montreal strikes, for example — and you get an explosive cocktail that makes many businesses think twice before becoming direct importers — and not just for dairy products.”  

Despite the red tape, a few dedicated local shops — from Douce France and Cheese Boutique to Nado Fromagerie and Good Cheese — are making sure Canadians can get their fix. With prices starting around $20, it’s certainly a luxury, but Saba insists it’s an investment in pure flavour. It’s so good, he says, he’s happy to eat it raw right off his fingertip.

If the TikTok numbers are any indication, Gen Z is already convinced: when it comes to butter, quality is worth the splurge.