The estimated size of the U.S. food and beverage industry is 13.85 billion dollars as of 2016.
A rather easy one to promote considering we need them to survive. Yet, it’s not just the food and drinks we consume but the lifestyle behind it. We’re seeing that now with tailored options through food delivery services, free-range options, Eastern influences, and more.
Pop-up shops, food trucks, street vendors, and novelty chow are changing the dining experience.
We’re seeing a return to local, fresh options not only in these forms but also in the aisles of our grocery stores. The rising cost and limited selection of dining out, too, has encouraged many to cook at home.
The coffee and craft beer market are two fantastic examples of growth and competition. Next-day delivery of fresh food is driving stiff competition to local retailers. Organic supermarkets and bakeries are popping up left-and-right.
These businesses started by tech-literate individuals are tapping cutting-edge Web tech. Even the old guard are on board with the sweeping changes to the industry. Meaning, plenty of options to promote across several lucrative sub-niches!
In this post, we’re covering the best food & drinks affiliate programs along with others that may have flown under your radar. Dig in!
The Best Food & Drinks Affiliate Programs
Want to get paid to put food on the table?
You’ll love these affiliate programs:
SunFood
SunFood boasts itself to be the “World’s Highest Quality Superfoods” provider.
What are super foods? You’ve seen them before… remember the Acai berry thing? There you go.
It’s pretty wild getting into this niche because there are simply so many different options. If there’s a berry or fruit or nut you can bet there’s some kind of superfood made around it. This stuff is blowing up since consumers have been turned on to these options (thanks, Kale).
Oh, and the program is pretty damn great, too.
SunFood affiliate program details:
- 10-20% commissions
- Monthly payments
- $50 min payout
- Reporting and analytics
- Animated and static creative
- 50+ unique text links and banners
Sign Up: SunFood Affiliates
Overall, we love that we have this option. It’s something a little out of the ordinary but when it’ll give you a unique angle. It’s something that could create a new brand around cooking. Or, a great way to supplement food & beverage discussion. Plenty of chances to do case studies and journals that’ll let you easily plunk in affiliate links throughout the journey.
Hello Fresh
We’ve got other food subscription services down in the generic section but this one we had to make a spot of its own. Hello Fresh somehow took a basic routine (grocery shopping and cooking) and turned it into a something else – something incredible.
The service delivers ingredients and recipes straight to subscriber’s doors.
It’s a way for people to try something new while also avoiding the store; a perfect combination. The service is streamlined and locks them in through customized weekly menus.
Hello Fresh affiliate program details:
- 40% (up to $250 commission on the first sale)
- Bonuses for top publishers
- 14-day cookie
- Low cancellation rates
Sign Up: Hello Fresh Affiliates
Overall, what can we say? The program is all-around great for affiliate marketers. The service is great for the customers. It doesn’t appear this type of service will slow down anytime soon. It’s a trendy service that’ll only get bigger and bigger – may as well jump on it now.
Food Blogger Pro
If you’re talking a lot about food then you’re probably attracting the types that love getting social with their foodie experience. These are the types that may have taken a stab at creating a food blog but never really got anywhere… that’s where Food Blogger Pro steps in.
Food Blogger Pro is the leader of food blogging education.
The program is meta – the fact that you’re promoting food blogging while food blogging. But hey, if people are writing about affiliate programs on an affiliate program site it’ll work, right?
Food Blogger affiliate program details:
- 20% recurring commissions per active member
- Stacked membership commissions
- Manual approval
- A growing selection of promo creative
Sign up: Food Blogger Pro
Overall, you can’t beat it. If there was an industry standard for how to do food blogging then this would be it. The on-going, recurring commissions are just icing on the cake. It’s a stellar program all around.
Food & Beverage Affiliate Program Runner-Ups
And here are some oddball ones to add some flavor!
Eat Drink Paleo
Tapping into the wildly popular Paleo diet – this operation sells a variety of educational items to get people into the lifestyle and intermediate/advanced offers for those already dedicated.
Program details: 40% commission – EDP Program
Smart Kitchen
Smart Kitchen is an educational site/platform to help people understand how to cook. It covers the beginner, intermediate, and advanced techniques. Has thousands of resources and recipes. It’s fun & engaging to its subscribers.
Program details: 30% new subscription revenue – tons of banners/promos – Smart Kitchen affiliate
La Tienda
One of the leading providers of Spanish and Latin American foods on the Web. It’s a nice addition to food & beverage affiliate efforts because it niches down.
Program details: 7%+ commission — $120 average order – La Tienda program
Food52
A retailer providing a wide range of cookware and supplies. They offer a good set of content. The brand is growing and recognizable. Plus, the program is on par with other leading ones.
Program details: 6% commission – 7-day cookie — $80 average sale – data feed – check it out
General Food & Drinks Affiliate Programs
There’s something for everyone:
- Thrive Market, Vitamin Shoppe, and Vega.
- Etsy, Vitamix, and Amazon.
- NatureBox, Wine of the Month Club, and Sun Basket.
And this doesn’t even scratch the surface of educational courses, holistic lifestyle products, and beverage subscription services that are across the market.
These are all great options for affiliates due to their respectable commission rates and cookie length.
The market is at an interesting intersection where there are new services and offers each day. Some are but blips on the radar while others go on to our collective acceptance. All great options for an affiliate wanting to share recipes, foodie activities, travel, stay-at-home types, and even budgeting tips.
These are a great way to add the icing on the cake with your food & drinks affiliate efforts.
What a Delicious Industry to Promote
Yum! – That was a delicious set of food and beverage programs to get things sizzling.
Food is wildly popular across social media – we can’t get enough of great pics, travel food blogging, and watching competitive cooking shows. Food is culture. Add in this shift to healthier eating and it’s looking like these two industries are really set to be something massive for the affiliate marketing crowd.
So… chow down on the earnings!
