Have You Thought About Selling Food on Etsy?

Thrillist interviewed a bunch of food brands who are now selling on Etsy and here’s what they had to say:

I know you’ve seen the TV ads for Etsy – you know, the site that is know for arty, creative vintage homemade and one of a kinds household goods, jewelry and furniture but did you know Etsy is also a huge food seller? According to Thrillist, Etsy has found a wave of new vendors in an entirely different category. Home chefs and bakers are pickling kimchi, baking dessert baskets, and tossing reimagined Chex mixes and finding great success on the DIY website. And if you are a small brand, struggling through the pandemic trying to get an appointment with a supermarket buyer, Etsy might just be for you. Thrillist interviewed a bunch of food brands who are now selling on Etsy and here’s what they had to say:

Adrian Martinez and Ashley Garza of Texas Chile Dulceria, aMexican candy Etsy shop opened in November 2020. “Etsy is a good platform to start on because it already has warm wires. People already go to Etsy to shop because they want to buy something,” Garza explained to Thrillist. “Sure, everybodies’ shops look the same, but it’s also on you with how you photograph your products, the logo you put, and the banner.” Garza also commends Etsy for teaching her better SEO practices—so when she eventually leaves the platform to open up her own website, she’ll know how to become searchable. 

The ease of Etsy is also what appealed to Maribel Valverde, the baker behind Mary’s Famous Alfajores. “Etsy finds the customers for me. When someone searches ‘alfajores’ (which are delicious Latin America sandwich cookies)  in the search box, my listing will pop up and so will those of other sellers. I have had customers leave reviews saying that they will tell their friends about it, so there is a bit of word of mouth, as well,” she says. “My customers are from all over the United States. That is the beautiful thing—I now have access to markets that I never had before.”

Dayna Issom Johnson, a trend expert at Etsy, told Thrilist there has been a 134% increase in searches on Etsy within the food and drink category between July and December 2020. “During the pandemic, shoppers took on new hobbies as a way to pass time and keep busy—many turning to baking and cooking—which drove a rise in food-related items and at-home kits,” she explains. That includes a 973% increase in searches for boba tea kits and a 113% increase in breadmaking items. It’s time to take a look, and bite out of Etsy.