Food creator: a profession with a turnover second only to that of the fashion industry
How are influencer fees changing, according to DeRev’s 2026 Fee Guide Report, which is based on an analysis of around 5,000 profiles and 865,000 posts published between June 2025 and June 2026?
The Food & Beverage sector remains the second-largest sector for investment in influencer marketing in Italia, with a share of 18 per cent – unchanged from 2025 – and surpassed only by Fashion & Beauty, which rose to 27 per cent (+1 percentage point). This is confirmed by the ‘2026 Report with Influencer Fee Guide’ by DeRev, based on an analysis of approximately 5,000 profiles and 865,000 posts published between June 2025 and June 2026.
The overall Italian influencer marketing market is worth 425 million euros, up 10.4 per cent from 385 million in 2025: this is the highest growth rate since 2023, almost three times that recorded the previous year (+4.05 per cent). Behind the food sector, tied at 13.5%, are Gaming & Tech and Travel & Lifestyle; Sport and Leisure also rose, from 8% to 9%, as did Business & Finance, from 2.5% to 3%.
Changes to the criteria for selecting creators
In the food sector, this activity is already translating into concrete figures. Simone Pepino, CEO of Hoopygang, reports that since the start of 2026, the company has managed over 20 campaigns in the food sector, with a total value of around one million euros, for clients such as Ventura, Campari and Ferrero. According to Pepino, the international picture points in the same direction: CreatorIQ’s ‘State of Creator Marketing 2025–2026’ report finds that 94 per cent of the organisations surveyed believe that content created by creators generates a higher return on investment than traditional digital advertising.
The criteria brands use to select food creators, however, have changed. “Whilst in the past the main criterion was the size of the fanbase, today the concept of ‘brand suitability’ prevails,” explains Pepino, referring to a creator’s ability to consistently represent the brand’s identity and tone of voice. Through RelationsAI, its proprietary platform that monitors brand behaviour on social media, Hoopygang has found that most major food brands have integrated creator marketing into their marketing mix over the past year. On the supply side, via HoopyTalent, the company reports a growing demand for vertical and specialised profiles.
New careers in the content industry
The growth of the food sector is part of a wider transformation in content-related employment. According to LinkedIn, the total number of creators on the platform has almost doubled globally between 2021 and 2025, whilst members who have added the term ‘creator’ to their profile have increased by 90 per cent. In Italia, employment linked to YouTube has risen by 4 per cent over the past year, in line with the European trend, where Instagram has also seen a 4 per cent increase.
