Shopify Ecosystem

Top Food Micro Influencers In 2021

top-food-micro-influencers-in-2021

One of the oldest and most popular influencer niches on social media is food and cooking. These food micro influencers are generating awareness for the latest cuisine trends, as well as encouraging fans to try different types of food and recommending quality brands.

The evolution of foodie influencers

When Instagram was brand new, one of the most popular posts was a snapped picture of food. It became a trend that stuck and is now a foodie tradition.

At first, people simply wanted to capture the beauty of a well-presented meal from their favorite restaurant. Or, they wanted to show off their dining experience to friends and family.

Today, foodie creators hone their craft to not just snap a shot of their entree, but to also tell a story behind their food photos and videos. Similarly, cooking creators use various online platforms to show fans special flavors and techniques. Food influencers encompass both restaurateurs and cooks with varying skill levels but each with their own authentic perspective.

What is the connection between food influencers and the food industry?

Most food creators specialize in content in one of three areas:

  • Cooks
  • Foodies
  • Travelers

All three have a particular effect on the greater food and beverage industry. From local restaurants to cookware and hospitality, brands are leveraging food creators to promote their products and services to their ideal target audience.

Cooking creators

Cooking creators include professional chefs and hobbyists alike. These creators might make videos of their process, snap images, or post full recipes for followers on social media or on their personal blog.

As influencers, they might partner with cookware, food (ingredients), or appliance brands to help followers make more informed purchases. These influencers might also promote their own products, including seasonings or published cookbooks.

Foodie creators

Foodie creators love to eat out and try different types of food. Many foodies overlap into the travel industry to experience cuisine from other cultures.

@turkuazkitchen

Betul is both a recipe creator and professional food photographer. Her favorite cuisines include ethnic foods, such as recipe inventions from Europe, Asia, and South America. When sharing a recipe, she uses post captions to list ingredients and instructions so that fans can follow the recipe right inside the app.

2. @peppa_foodie

Peppa is a food blogger from India. American audiences favor his Instagram page where all descriptions and instructions are written in English. In addition to reviewing local food vendors, Peppa shows off Indian cooking skills of his own.

3. @cookingwithbello

Bello is one of the most prolific video creators on Instagram. He features Italian dishes in both short-form (Reels) and long-form (IGTV) posts. He is also a published cookbook author.

4. @abimilano

Master Chef Abinas Nayak left his career in IT to become a professional cook. Among his favorite dishes are appetizers, main courses, and cocktails. In addition to curating his Instagram community, he runs cooking workshops for aspiring chefs.

5. @bayarea.foodies

Tim Cheung does some cooking, but he mostly loves reviewing local dining in the greater Bay Area of California and around the world. He is a partner for Open Table and an avid traveler.

Top 5 food micro influencers on TikTok

1. @maxlamanna_

@maxlamanna_You need to try this dish! #foodie #foodies #veganrecipe #foodtiktok #pasta #summer

♬ Pascal Letoublon – Friendships(Remix) – 杨邪

Max La Manna is a BBC Earth host on several cooking shows. He is an advocate for “low-waste cooking,” and before becoming a TikTok sensation, he was known as the author for the popular cookbook, More Plants Less Waste.

2. @rootedinspice

@rootedinspicefelt like a scientist👩🏽‍🔬 #chai #masalachai #tandoorichai ad- @kolkatachaico

♬ You – Petit Biscuit

Another Bay Area foodie is CB, otherwise known as Rootedinspice. Her social name comes from her love of South Asian cuisine and uses videos to demonstrate her unique recipes and cooking style.

3. @betweenspoonfuls

@betweenspoonfulsMake rainbow boba shots with me 🌈🧋 #boba #homecafe #fypシ #foryoupage

♬ Roxanne – Instrumental – Califa Azul

Michael loves all sweet foods, including cocktails and espressos. He is also a fan of artistic color while creating amazing treats for fans on TikTok and YouTube.

4. @ocfoodandview

@ocfoodandviewLoaded Cali Quesarito! #bussin #quesarito #sauce #foodhack #foryou

♬ original sound – Amir David Cuevas

Christine manages the brand OC Foodie, a creative portfolio of blogs, images, and videos showing off some of the best restaurants and attractions in Orange County, California. While she does recommend all food types, her favorite meal is breakfast.

5. @foodfool

@foodfoolFlamin’ Hot Cheese Pickle 🔥🥒 Did You Hear The Pop At The End? 😂 #food #foodie #fried #cheese #foryoupage #foodtiktok

♬ Patata – Drill Remix – PsychoBeat

Colin Wingerter is an amateur cook and brand ambassador for Dan-O Seasoning. And if he can fry it or cook it on a stick, he will try the recipe and review it on TikTok for fans and followers.

Top 5 micro influencer food bloggers

1. Joshua Weissman

Joshua Weissman

Joshua Weissman is a professional chef who learned to cook as a way to cope with being bullied at school. Since both his parents were competent cooks, he learned many basic cooking skills from an early age. After achieving success in fine dining venues, he launched his blog to share tips, recipes, and connect with fans.

2. Lindsey Baruch

Lindsey Eats

Lindsey Baruch is a food and travel blogger with professional photography skills. Readers enjoy her unique combination of all three niches. She features her own recipes throughout her blog, as well as dining tips in various parts of the world.

3. Shivesh Bhatia

Bake with Shivesh

Shivesh Bhatia learned to write in college where he majored in political science. Almost immediately, he found his calling as a baking influencer on Instagram and eventually launched his blog to maintain a collection of his fans’ favorite dessert recipes.

4. Hugh Harper

Hugh Harper

Hugh Harper is a creator on the side. In his blog, he chronicles his international travels. His favorite things to blog about are local cuisine and fine dining everywhere he goes.

5. Rina, Nofussvegan

No Fuss Vegan

Rina is a vegan food cook and creator. Years ago, she decided that vegan food was the best approach for her and her family, and she embraced the learning curve of shopping and preparing meals differently. Today, she offers recipes, tips, and tricks for those interested in a vegan lifestyle.

Conclusion

Food influencers exercise their unique skills to bring tasty meals to life. Not only does their content look delicious, but it also tells an endearing story that connects with their audience. Food, beverage, and hospitality brands that partner with food creators can forge more meaningful relationships with their audience.
Recruiting top-performing influencers has never been easier. Use GRIN to find your brand champions.

 

Special thanks to our friends at Grin.co for their insights on this topic.

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