Storytelling, brand connection and shareable social media experiences reign supreme in the food and beverage world. It means brands seemingly have vast opportunities to showcase their innovations and influencer endorsements represent a strong opportunity for brands looking to bolster exposure.
It’s for this reason that Innova Market Insights identified the “Age of the Influencer” as one of the Top Ten Trends for 2021.
Influencer engagement will increasingly be on the marketing menu to promote products in 2021. There also will be a gradual expansion of the diversity of influencers and a slow shift to more reliable and industry-specific influencers to drive trust and credibility.
Erin has a bachelor’s of science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota and worked as an engineer/food scientist for more than a decade in both the conventional and natural/organic food sectors. In 2018, she started a Facebook page, “Facts Not Fear,” to combat myths about food and the food industry. She admits, “I used to have many false beliefs surrounding food, so now I present evidence-based information so consumers can make decisions based on facts—rather than fears.” In addition her role as a stay-at-home mom for a five-year-old daughter, Erin consults to small, start-up food companies. She provides product development work, scale-up, as well nutrition panel creation and regulatory guidance.
Dr. Rachel Cheatham is founder & CEO of Foodscape Group, LLC, a nutrition strategy consultancy based in Chicago. Serving as a navigation partner, Rachel helps companies and brands successfully conceptualize and position healthier foods and beverages in the global marketplace. Rachel holds a doctorate in nutritional biochemistry from Tufts University, where she is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Food Marketing. She has been a TV producer, director at the International Food Information Council, and senior vice president at Weber Shandwick, a global public relations firm. She is a professional member of the Institute of Food Technologists and a member of both the American Society of Nutrition and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She is active on LinkedIn as well as blogging at Foodscape Finds.
Michelle Miller, better known as “The Farm Babe,” is an international keynote speaker; writer and columnist for AGDAILY.com; online influencer; and Florida livestock farmer. She stated her social media outreach more than six years ago as a way to “better bridge the gap between farmers and consumers.” She since has made a name for herself as a dedicated "myth buster" in food and agriculture. With nearly 200k followers and an average social media reach of 2-3 million views monthly, she has been featured in Forbes, has been a guest on Dr. Drew, has influenced corporations such as Burger King, and has proudly spoken alongside some of today’s biggest names in food and farming.
Lu Ann Williams is co-founder and Global Insights Director at Innova Market Insights, a global market research firm headquartered in The Netherlands. An expert on trends driving the food and beverage industry, she is a frequent speaker at industry events. Thirty years of global experience, data analysis, and trendspotting give her a unique foundation for insights into what’s coming next in the industry in every region of the world.
