7 Up & Coming Food & Beverage Brands Doing Social Right
You know a brand is doing social media right when people outside the target market engage with the content. Engagement on social media can give insight into how well the brand is doing with creating community and excitement around their product.
But how exactly does a food or beverage brand DO social media right?
Here are seven up-and-coming food and beverage brands who’ve harnessed the power of social media to engage prospective consumers and create loyal followings. Their metrics are impressive, with high clickthrough rate, engagements, and consistent traffic:
Fresh Direct: Turning Followers into Health Experts
Fresh Direct, the meal delivery service, is on a mission to make healthy and convenient dining a breeze, and they have absolutely CRUSHED it on Instagram by providing inspiration, tips, and delectable recipes to their steadily-growing following. By publishing visually appealing food photography, combined with a strategic use of user-generated content, Fresh Direct has amassed over 32.2K followers on the platform.
What's their secret sauce? It's all about authenticity and knowledge. Fresh Direct creates a real and raw connection with their audience by showcasing genuine customer experiences and weaving storytelling into their posts. They paint a vivid picture of their kitchen behind-the-scenes, illuminating their unwavering commitment to quality ingredients. Their content isn't just about food; it's a journey into health and wellness and they take great strides to teach their followers something new with each of their posts.
But that's not all. Fresh Direct knows how to spice things up with strategic partnerships, like their home run collaborations with the New York Yankees.
Follower count:
Facebook: 10,754 likes
Twitter: 16.4K followers
Instagram: 32.2K followers
Pinterest: 168.1K monthly views
TikTok: 2.1K likes
The Qi: Video-Fueled Brand Storytelling
Rooted in time-honored Eastern holistic healing wisdom, this wellness brand uses flower tea rituals to help customers feel more joy, beauty, and inner calm.
And it’s obvious at one glance of their Instagram and TikTok pages.
The Qi has mastered the art of combining its demographics’ social media preferences with an easy-to-digest message that champions its holistic brand message.
Using all natural ingredients, Founder Lisa Li has cracked a tricky code: using a creator’s personal brand to promote their company. It’s proven that consumers identify more with people than nameless brands and Lisa’s success is proof.
She stars in engaging videos that foster a personal connection with followers; a tactic that is key to success for food and beverage brands in 2023.
Lisa and The Qi have been recognized by Martha Stewart and featured on websites and in publications, including Thrillist and Food & Wine.
Follower count:
TikTok: 27.1k followers
Instagram: 24.4k followers
Facebook: 594 followers
YouTube: 719 subscribers
Spindrift: Building an Online Community
Spindrift claims they are the very first American sparkling water brand to use real fruit. They’ve also mastered the art of community-building on Twitter. With a witty and relatable brand voice, they engage in conversations with their followers, respond to customer queries, and actively participate in trending topics. Similar to Fresh Direct, they put an emphasis on genuine interactions and back up their commitment to transparency.
This is the ultimate case study for building an online community in the food and beverage industry.
Spindrift has gained over 166K followers on Instagram and have strengthened brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth as a result.
You can find the beverage in most grocery stores, including Walmart, HEB, and Costco.
Follower count:
Facebook: 42,736 likes
Twitter: 9.3K followers
Instagram: 166K followers
Pinterest: 7.3K monthly views
TikTok: 117.5K followers
Amrita Health Foods: Family-First Brand Building
Amrita’s Founder Arshad Bahl took a unique and innovative approach to tell his brand’s story. Offering vegan protein bars that promise to supercharge a consumer’s health journey, Amrita was created in response to the food allergies suffered by Arshad’s son.
In a climate where consumers are sensitive to more foods than ever before, the personal and relatable marketing approach taken by Amrita has paid off. Parents who are willing to invest in their children’s nutrition are taking notice; the brand’s Instagram count continues to rise.
Arshad leaned on his 20 years of experience in strategic marketing, finance, and management roles in Fortune 50 companies to create a brand that has secured firm footing in an increasingly health-conscious food and beverages market.
Amrita’s posts are very authentic. They don’t waste time on highly polished images that don’t relate to their audience. They invite followers in to see how their uber-healthy nutrition bars are made, making it feel like we’re actually on the warehouse floor with the Amrita team.
Follower count:
Instagram: 12.3k followers
Facebook: 6.1k followers
Twitter: 2.8k followers
YouTube: 275 subscribers
Oatly: Captivating Audiences with Creative Content
@oatly Sophie Jensen crossfitter and Oatly employee, now sponsored by Oatly
♬ original sound - Oatly
Oatly, a plant-based milk brand, is one of the world’s leading non-dairy milk brands. They even have celebrity backers like Oprah! And if Oprah’s in your corner, it’s hard to lose. Since the pandemic, Oatly has seen a staggering growth of 295% across all product categories globally; its valuation is currently $13 billion.
Oatly has capitalized on the growing eco-consciousness and veganism movements. The company has embraced their sustainability message by turning to TikTok and connecting with a younger audience. Through humorous and creative videos that highlight the benefits of oat milk in a relatable way, Oatly has garnered millions of views on the platform. Their viral marketing campaigns have both increased brand awareness and sparked conversations and advocacy for sustainable food choices.
This is how to create content that speaks to the hearts and minds of consumers.
Follower count:
Facebook: 231K likes
Twitter: 23.4K followers
Instagram: 350K followers
Pinterest: 78K monthly views
TikTok: 10.1 million likes
Califia Farms: Inspiring Sustainability through Instagram Stories
Califia Farms, a plant-based beverage company, has refocused their social platforms to be both brand-friendly while offering an effective traditional e-commerce perspective. The product content is at the center of their efforts. Especially through Instagram Stories, the brand presents photogenic foods and recipes with a call-to-action to drive traffic to their website. They also introduce new ways to use their product for health-conscious consumers.
Califia uses the interactive features of Stories, such as polls, quizzes, and behind-the-scenes content, to create an immersive and captivating experience. Through sharing product updates, recipes, and wellness tips, Califia Farms keeps their followers informed and inspired.
This is perhaps the best example of using Instagram Stories to drive food and beverage sales that you can find.
Follower count:
Facebook: 209,152 followers
Twitter: 9,154 followers
Instagram: 331K followers
Pinterest: 36.7K monthly views
TikTok: 457.2K likes
Recess: Creating a Lifestyle Brand on YouTube
Recess, a CBD-infused beverage brand (and also the newest brand on this list) has successfully established a lifestyle brand identity on Instagram. The sparkling water promises to take away stress, anxiety, and fatigue. Each can contains stress-relieving and focus-enhancing CBD with healthy ingredients. Plus, the can designs are very appealing. There are currently six flavors; the brand also offers a subscription service.
By publishing high-quality video content that combines entertainment, education, and product showcases, Recess appeals to their target audience of millennials and Gen Z. By collaborating with influencers, sharing stories of their brand mission, and exploring trending topics, Recess has gained thousands of subscribers and millions of views on their channel, positioning themselves as a leader in the emerging CBD market.
Follower count:
Facebook: 925 likes
Twitter: 1,692 followers
Instagram: 112K followers
Pinterest: 2.8K monthly views
TikTok: 1,537 followers
Grow your Food & Beverage Brand with Social Media
Social media is no longer an IF for food and beverage brands. Creating an effective strategy that gets the attention of your target audience and doesn’t look good is mandatory.
If any of the following applies to you, we really need to talk:
“My food and beverage brand can’t find an audience on social media”
“The big retailers are KILLING my bottom-line! It feels like I don’t have control of my brand’s destiny.”
“There’s too much online competition for my brand. I don’t know how to get noticed.”
“I’ve tried everything and need a cost-effective way to grow my brand’s audience.”