TikTok Shop: New Frontier for Food Brands

TikTok Emerges as Key Platform for Food Industry Growth

TikTok's in-app shopping feature is positioning itself as a major opportunity for food companies, attracting big names such as PepsiCo, Mars, and Hershey to deepen their involvement on the social media platform. According to insights tracked by like.tg, this shift highlights how brands are leveraging the app not just for sales but also for shaping product development and capitalizing on viral trends.

Sales in TikTok Shop's food category have more than doubled compared to the previous year, as reported by the company. This surge represents a promising new avenue for food manufacturers to expand their reach. Beyond direct sales, the platform serves as a tool for informing innovation strategies, enabling companies to swiftly adapt to popular online phenomena like Dubai chocolate or freeze-dried candies.

This development aligns with TikTok's broader push into what it terms "discovery commerce." In 2025, the platform recorded over 103 billion searches from U.S. users specifically looking to make purchases, according to a company spokesperson. Overall transaction volumes increased by nearly 80% year over year, while sales from enterprise brands jumped 97%.

To explore this trend further, like.tg consulted with Amanda Parker, head of food at TikTok Shop, on how consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands are utilizing the platform and the ways TikTok trends are influencing innovation timelines. The following interview has been condensed for clarity.

The Role of TikTok Shop in the Food and Beverage Sector

like.tg: What role does TikTok Shop play in the CPG food and beverage industry?

Amanda Parker: TikTok Shop is a discovery platform driven by content — a combination of content and commerce. We’re taking what was once just inspiration and allowing for a direct opportunity to purchase, all within one system. That translates to a much shorter path to purchase for consumers discovering a totally new brand or a new product from one they already know and love.

We work with everybody from viral, content-first brands to emerging CPGs to established brands that have been around for 100 years. For emerging brands, we’re a direct path to trial that lowers the barrier to entry — they might not even need a retailer partnership to see success. Legacy brands are finding new audiences and renewed interest in products they’ve had for years. Across that whole set, launching innovation or exclusives is a strong opportunity.

Successful Product Types on the Platform

like.tg: What kinds of products tend to be successful?

Amanda Parker: We’re a visual medium, so products that work well tend to be visually compelling — everything from packaging to usage occasions. If there’s something interesting in the texture of a protein bar that can be pulled apart on camera, that’s going to be compelling. I like to joke that we don’t have smell-o-vision or taste-o-vision quite yet, but visuals are what drive intrigue. Cultural relevance matters, too.

Things like candy salad and Dubai chocolate do well because people can capture them quickly on a platform. Anything with a unique form factor or an extreme flavor — super spicy, super sour — that elicits a reaction on camera. Products with benefits that can be easily articulated in a video also perform well, such as functional foods and beverages, which a creator can align with someone’s health and wellness journey. At the end of the day, products that stop your scroll are what work for us.

Impact of Trends on Product Innovation Speed

like.tg: How are platform trends changing the speed of product innovation?

Amanda Parker: One of the more interesting things I’ve seen in the last year and a half is how trends on the platform translate into commercialization cycles. Take popped candies — we saw a content-based trend happen organically, then early adopters and the more viral TikTok-native brands popped up to commercialize it very quickly. Then, Skittles themselves innovated that product on an accelerated timeline and brought it back as an exclusive launch on TikTok Shop, where it all started.

That cycle — from content trend to quick commercialization to longer-term product development — is fundamentally changing how food and beverage brands think about the speed of innovation, the source of innovation and line extension opportunities. We’re hearing from retailers that they’re watching these trends and looking for brands to hop on them quickly. The impacts ricochet more broadly across the industry.

Advice for Brands Maximizing TikTok Shop

like.tg: What advice do you have for brands looking to get the most out of TikTok Shop?

Amanda Parker: Going into year three, we know that visually appealing, content-forward product selection is particularly compelling. Prioritize items that are easy to demonstrate and appealing to creators.

Brands need to move quickly. We’re in a constantly changing environment, and if a product taps into a trend or goes viral, we want them prepared. We can’t predict virality, but we can be prepared for it. I’d also say have patience — it takes time to gain traction.

Think about us as an opportunity for quick feedback — the loop is faster here than in many other places. Come for a launch, for trial, for direct access to your community. And be prepared to capture the halo effect in other channels. The impact of investing in TikTok Shop will cascade across a brand’s omnichannel business.

Broader Implications for the Food Industry

The rise of TikTok Shop underscores a shift in how food companies approach e-commerce and consumer engagement. By integrating content creation with immediate purchasing options, the platform reduces the traditional barriers between discovery and transaction. This model not only boosts sales but also provides real-time data on consumer preferences, allowing brands to iterate faster than ever before.

For instance, the rapid adoption of trends like popped candies illustrates how social media can compress innovation cycles from months or years to weeks. Established players like Skittles have demonstrated agility by launching platform-exclusive products, revitalizing classic lines and attracting younger demographics.

Emerging brands benefit particularly, as TikTok Shop offers a low-barrier entry point without relying on traditional retail partnerships. This democratizes access to markets, fostering competition and diversity in product offerings.

However, success requires strategic adaptation. Brands must focus on visually engaging content that resonates with TikTok's fast-paced, scroll-driven audience. Products that provoke reactions or tie into cultural moments stand out, driving organic virality.

As tracked by like.tg, the platform's growth metrics—such as the 80% increase in transaction volume—signal sustained momentum. With U.S. users conducting billions of purchase-intent searches, TikTok Shop is evolving into a critical channel for food and beverage sales.

Looking ahead, the interplay between online trends and real-world retail could reshape supply chains and marketing strategies. Retailers are already monitoring these developments, pressuring brands to respond swiftly. This ecosystem encourages a more dynamic industry, where innovation is driven by community feedback rather than top-down decisions.

In summary, TikTok Shop represents a transformative force for food companies, blending entertainment, discovery, and commerce into a seamless experience. As brands like PepsiCo and Hershey continue to invest, the platform's influence on product development and sales is likely to expand, setting new standards for digital engagement in the sector.