When caviar connoisseur and snack wizard Danielle Zaslavskaya posted a video on TikTok concocting her midnight munchies in the wee hours of the night, she ignited a fire in the world of FoodTok.

Dressed in a plush white robe after a night out, she prepares what she calls her “OG favorite snack.” From a tin of the finest Siberian Sturgeon Caviar, sourced straight from her family’s caviar company Marky’s Caviar, she dolloped a generous serving onto a slice of toasted Fitness bread, slathered with rich Échiré butter. The result? A viral sensation, with nine million views that elevated Zaslavskaya to a household name among those who appreciate, and are fascinated, by the finer things in life.

With over 528,000 followers and counting, Zaslavskaya has reignited a caviar boom within the current generation racking up over 1.7 billion views under the hashtag #caviar, as well as two million on #daniellecaviar alone. In a viral ASMR caviar taste test video posted by @sassysoundsasmr, one user commented “Why is everyone suddenly trying caviar?” to which the creator responded, “Danielle. If you know you know.”

Born in Ukraine and raised in Miami, Danielle Zaslavskaya was exposed to the world of caviar from a young age when her grandfather established Marky’s Caviar in 1983. Zaslavskaya, who is now known on a first-name basis by users on TikTok, had a brief stint working in the fashion industry after graduating from Parsons School of Design, however her true passion resided in the food industry, and she soon began working for the family business. 

At Marky’s Caviar, Zaslavskaya honed her expertise in the caviar industry, learning the ins and outs of selecting, importing, and distributing premium quality caviar. She developed a deep appreciation for the traditional techniques and artistry involved in producing the gourmet delicacy, as well as a curiosity for different cuisines around the world. Zaslavskaya wanted to explore new and innovative ways to incorporate different food recipes into her daily life.

“I first downloaded TikTok in the summer because I was really intrigued by all of these recipes that I would see on Instagram Reels that had a TikTok watermark on them,” Zaslavskaya said. “So I thought let me just download it and see what recipes were there.”

Inspired by the food community on TikTok, Zaslavskaya decided to post her first video featuring a salmon dip recipe she created using leftover salmon to an intimate group of five followers. The next day, Zaslavskaya woke up to 60,000 views on her video. Surprised by the sudden surge in popularity, she continued posting videos of her favorite food. But it was a video of her indulging in her favorite Spicy Tunacado sandwich from Joe & The Juice, which garnered half a million views overnight, that made her a TikTok sensation. Today, #tundacado holds over 71.5 million views under its TikTok hashtag.

“I thought, wow, I should keep sharing the things that I like to eat,” she said. As a result, Zaslavskaya became motivated to impart her knowledge of caviar to her audience. 

“When you search for caviar on Instagram, TikTok, or even YouTube, you usually see a hot girl, a nice car or a Ferrari, a yacht—just things that are very unattainable. So I said to my husband, ‘Babe, I’m going to start sharing caviar because I want to show people that it’s not unattainable, that there are entry price points, that it’s something that could be eaten everyday not just on special occasions, and that it’s not just for rich people.’”

Zaslavskaya’s approach to caviar has made it more accessible and relatable to a wider audience, with many of her followers saying that her videos have inspired them to try caviar for the first time, trending the hashtag #daniellemademedoit which amassed over 19.9 million views. Her nonchalant and casual presentation of her upscale snacks has earned her the title of “Caviar Queen” among her followers and food enthusiasts.

According to Zaslavskaya, the response to her snack creations and her impact on the food industry was both overwhelming and humbling. “Views are one thing, but when it generates into sales and it helps other businesses, especially small businesses, that really just blows my mind,” she said. “When I see videos of people walking into Whole Foods and there’s an entire section of things that are seen on TikTok, it freaks me out.”

As a result, the increasing popularity of her caviar creations have contributed to the growth of the caviar market, which is projected to see a substantial increase of USD $387.6 million over the next few years, according to a November 2022 report by the Global Market Insight.

The TikTok star believes that she has been successful in encouraging her followers to step out of their comfort zones and try new things, even when they seem unappealing and unorthodox.  “I’m very proud of my followers for opening their minds up to trying new things and not being scared, because I think it’s really important to be diverse and learn about different kinds of food.”

Source - CR