Food & Bev Companies Sending Merchandise to Food Influencers

Gifting products to influencers may seem like a massive undertaking. After all, it’s a balance between finding the right merch to show your appreciation while not overshadowing your company’s food or beverage line. And, just like any thriving business relationship, it takes ongoing communication and appreciation to create and keep a powerful collaboration. That’s one reason gifting to influencers is so valuable. 

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What Does Your Merch Say About You? 

Sending products to influencers: message matters! Not all custom merch and swag are created equally. For building an impactful relationship that stands the test of time, skip the marketing gimmicks and cheap throw-away swag. Your gift reflects your attitude toward the partnership and should align with your company values. 

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When sending PR packages to influencers, look for custom merch they’ll want to use again and again. From quality designs to products that make life easier, here are the best products for your beverage and food influencer campaigns. 

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21 Merch Ideas for your Beverage and Food Influencer Campaigns

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1. Personalized Tasting Glasses

When it comes time to send PR packages to bloggers and influencers, tasting glasses offer transparency into your product and its taste. Perfect for coffees, teas, and more!

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When gifting products to influencers, talk to your Gemnote rep for personalization ideas like glass etching so your brand receives the recognition it deserves.  

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2. A Custom Apron 

Sending free products to influencers that they are sure to love takes a little forethought. Custom aprons are an ideal pick since they are easy to customize with your logo and branding. You may even be able to take advantage of gifting on Instagram and other social media platforms.  

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A beneficial thing about aprons is that you don’t have to worry about sizes. Furthermore, if you keep your design neutral it becomes a one-size-fits-most, unisex merch option that’s versatile and practical for anyone. In addition to keeping your order number down, you can potentially save per piece since many companies offer a bulk discount rate. Talk to your Gemnote rep for details. 

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3. Custom Tee 

A customized tee shirt is a primary example of gifting to influencers without breaking your budget. It’s also free advertising for your food or beverage company every time they were it. 

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There are so many ways to customize a tee shirt to make it stand out. From a plethora of colors and features to patches, sewn-on labels, screen printing, and embroidery, showcasing your brand is half the fun. 

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For a little bit of inspiration, check out these 16 Design Trends For Your 2022 Merch. 

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4. Custom Socks 

While you may not get your logo up close and personal on their next YouTube Live, socks can make unforgettable custom merch while staying affordable. Not to mention, when it comes to practical gifting, socks top pretty much anyone’s list for being essential.  

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If practical doesn’t sound all that interesting when it comes to custom merch gifts, think again! Just look at the bubble gum-popping pair below from The New Yorker. With its colorful bands and endearing print, this represents the out-of-the-box designs anyone would love to receive. Best of all, the sky is the limit on how many design options you have. 

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Sending PR packages to influencers? Socks complement custom totes and tees to a Tee! 

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5. Custom Tote Bags

Whether you want to send PR packages to bloggers or start a relationship with your favorite video influencer, a custom tote bag is perfect for distributing your company’s products or as a sustainable option for your swag kit. 

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Custom totes are definitely not one size fits all, and neither are the many ways to customize one. Talk to your Gemnote rep for canvas options similar to the one below or even reusable Baggu Bags which fold up small for pocket-size portability with mega storage.   

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Tip: Custom totes make a useful gift for Health Food Companies to send since their recipient can use them for fresh produce and more. 

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6. Custom Towel 

When sending free products to influencers, especially those with large followings or whose followers are your company’s target audience, you’ll need quality merch that stands out. 

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While a custom hand towel may not seem ground-breaking, through your customization, you can make it the essential they love to show off in their next Brand Featured Review. From a larger-than-life design like this one to a design that’s modern and minimal, keeping it on brand helps reinforce your company’s identity.  

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7. Custom Crewneck 

For high-end food branding, gift a crewneck sweatshirt for elevated merch that looks high-end as well. We love this name-brand crewneck by Aimé Leon Dore. 

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To create a similar style, keep your design minimal so your logo stands out. Talk to your Gemnote rep for ideas on styles, branding, and even fulfillment. 

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8. Custom Slim Cans

Have the best beverage branding? Custom slim cans are a fun way to show it off! When giving custom merch like these slim cans, the best designs are those that highlight your brand. 

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Fun, modern, bold…there are so many options when it comes to creating your perfect merch, that you shouldn’t need to settle. Just make sure your gift is seasonally appropriate. 

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9. Custom Oven Mitts

Trying to gain favor with a foodies influencer? Custom oven mitts are a creative and  sustainable way to kick off the conversation. Whether you choose colorful geometric shapes, similar to the ones below from Poketo, or lean toward a more neutral palette, reflecting your brand as well as your recipient’s personality will pay off. 

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10. Custom Tumbler

There’s a reason tumblers have topped our list of favorite gifts many times over. First, they provide sustainability over one-and-done, single-use water bottles that continue to pollute oceans and fill landfills.  In addition, there’s no shortage of options when customizing your perfect influencer gift, so your branding is paramount. 

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11. Custom Coaster 

For an elevated gift that stands out, a coaster gives you the best of both worlds since it’s fun and functional. Whether you stick to an elevated design, like wood or marbled styles, or choose a style infused with colors like this one, custom coasters offer the perfect palette for showcasing your company’s branding. 

Best of all, when gifting coasters, you don’t need to worry about sizes or even which season you gift them. They’re practical favorites that are always ready to jump in and save furniture from unsightly rings year-round. 

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12. Custom Napkin Set  

Perfect for food and beverage companies alike, including, top health food brands and digital media food brands, custom napkins can offer an elevated style without sending you over budget. 

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For optimal appeal, choose features like OEKO-TEX®–certified cotton, in go-with-anything neutrals, like the styles shown below. Talk to your Gemnote Rep for customization ideas, like embroidery, to make these your own. 

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13. Custom Canisters

An organized kitchen is key to having a setup that contributes to crafting all those great recipes. Help your influencer create their ultimate space with a custom gift like canisters in a variety of sizes. 

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In addition to being a functional gift,  glass canisters like these offer easy transparency for ingredients, herbs and more. Whether you choose stainless steel, copper, or glass, like these from Kinto, make it your own with customization. 

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14. Areaware Serving Friends

Have a whimsical brand or just want to give your recipient something as unique as it is thoughtful and practical? Think of everyday products like serving spoons with an unexpected twist. 

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We love these Large Serving Wooden Spoons that bloom with interest even when they’re not in use. Talk to your Gemnote rep for more out-of-the-box custom merch ideas.  

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15. Taper Candles

Candles are a universal gift you can give to any company, not just food and beverage ones. However, if you want to help your influencer set a beautiful table that’s worthy of Pinterest, taper candles like these deliver. 

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For extra props include a candle holder to help make the setup that much easier. 

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16. Custom Throw

Just because you have a food and beverage company, doesn’t mean you have to keep your gifts limited to the kitchen or dining room. For gifts that are ideal for cuddling up with after their workday is done, a customized throw is just the ticket. 

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Whether you design with fun prints like the one shown below by Areaware or keep it simple and classy with an embroidered logo or label, or infuse color for extra flair and flavor is up to you. Your Gemnote rep can help you create your own branded masterpiece in your choice of designs, sizes, colors, fabrics, and features, like tassels. 

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17. Hex Vase

Another ideal swag piece that’s worth a second look, a statement vase is versatile enough for any and all rooms. 

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You can’t go wrong with a go-with-everything-neutral vase like this geometric style Hex Vase. Really want to impress your influencer? Send yours with flowers or a matching planter. 

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18. Everybody Timer

We all have time for style, right? Keep the good times (and promoting) going with a functionally charming gift like this Everybody Timer. 

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Not in your brand or Influencers style? Don’t worry, on-brand is our specialty. Talk to your Gemnote rep for ideas on how you can gift a timer that reflects your company down to the last detail. 

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19. Linen Kitchen Towels

When in doubt, think practical, then make it better by adding your brand. After all, the best merch is a practical gift your recipient can use and will remember your company while using it. 

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Not sure linen is your cup of tea? We can help you find your go-to shape, style, size, and color to make your recipient's day. 

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20. Simple Measuring spoons 

If you’ve been searching for that ultimate custom merch gift that’s also useful, there’s no need to recreate the wheel. Whether you engrave the measuring spoons themself or the small keepsake storage bag, it’s the custom gift your recipient can reach for again and again. 

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Perfect for the Best Food Brands On Instagram, since it’s a great way to show off your custom merch as well as your company’s food or beverage too. 

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21. Glass Jar Matches

There was a time when cheap swag consisted of cheap matchbooks and spotty pens. Luckily free swag and custom merch have grown a lot since then to keep up with customers’ preferences. 

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Case in point: a glass jar of matches. Simple, functional, and modern to blend into any decor. Plus, with a custom label or glass etching, you can leave your mark with this noteworthy gift. 

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22. Glass Timer

For health food companies looking to gift memorable merch to influencers, why not give the gift of time? Or at least a timer. 

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Sure you can ask Alexa to countdown for you, but where’s the fun in that? A simple yet effective glass timer is a low-key cool element that’s both fun and stylish. Best of all, your influencer won’t have to compete with an alarm when the time is up. 

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23. Custom Cap

There’s no reason you should limit your influencer gifts to the kitchen. For a breath of fresh air and personalized style, a custom hat does double duty proving protection from the elements (or just offering an easy hair day) and a custom dose of style! 

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The best food partnerships offer positive brand exposure for your company while helping your influencer market themselves in the food and beverage industry. By gifting quality, customized merch, you can reinforce your brand power with gifts that also show your appreciation. 

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Top Food & Drink Instagram Influencers in 2022
Wondering who the top food and beverage influencers are for Instagram? According to StarNgage Snoop Dogg takes the #1 spot with 78.1 m followers. While Amra & Elma expand the list to feature 100 picks worldwide.

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For small food brands looking for food influencer collabs, going with a Food Influencer Agency is probably more realistic than trying to go for the biggest influencer. However, if you can find one you believe in who shares your target audience, without using an agency, gaining traction and growing together will create the best food partnerships without blowing your budget. 

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Food Brands Looking For Influencers

For the “foodies influencer” wondering how to collaborate with the best food brands, check out these 69 Brands That Work With Food Bloggers from Recip.ly. From top food brands with high-end food branding to companies like Walmart with a mass market presence, bloggers can get an idea of the many food brand collaboration possibilities.  

Brands that provide food content may even benefit from guest bloggers and video makers for influencer-backed content.