Online Influencers Experience Many Facets of Michigan’s Apple Industry through MAC Tour
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.- Building on last year’s successful influencer program, Michigan Apples hosted five online influencers for a brand tour earlier this week. The tour gave influencers a first-hand look at several different businesses within Michigan’s apple industry. Health, nutrition, parenting, and lifestyle bloggers came from Michigan and Florida. The influencers were selected based on their content as well as the strong interaction rates and other data on their platforms.
“Bringing social media influencers into the heart of Michigan’s apple industry is a powerful way to connect consumers with the story behind Michigan Apples,” said Diane Smith, executive director of MAC. “When influencers see firsthand the care, innovation, and passion our growers put into every harvest, they become authentic advocates. This event built upon the recent success of our influencer outreach, as a large part of our social media marketing program, and plays a valuable role in our overall consumer marketing efforts.”
On the tour, influencers were able to immerse themselves in the many things that the Michigan Apple industry has to offer. They visited a farm market, an apple shipping and packing facility, a commercial orchard, a hard cider operation, and a large processing facility. Through these influencers, MAC can reach a bigger and broader audience to share the value and importance of Michigan’s apple industry.
“By touring the many different parts of our industry—from orchards and packing facilities to processors and hard cider operations—influencers get a true sense of how expansive and vital Michigan Apples are to our state,” said Smith. “This isn’t just about growing fruit; it’s about supporting hundreds of family farms, producing healthy food for consumers, and contributing significantly to Michigan’s economy. Apples are our state’s largest and most valuable fruit crop, and this tour helps tell that story in a powerful way through the eyes of the social media influencers.”
The Michigan Apple Committee is a grower-funded nonprofit organization devoted to marketing, education and research activities to distinguish the Michigan apple and encourage its consumption in Michigan and around the world. For more information, visit MichiganApples.com.