Top 20 Food & Drink from New Zealand on Instagram Influencers by Follower Growth

Last updated: April 03, 2026

Total Food & Drink Influencers in New Zealand

544

Expected Reach

5.0M

Total Followers

21.4M

Avg Engagement

3.57%

Audience Analysis

Gender Distribution

Female70%
Male30%

Age Distribution

25-3441.6%
18-2423.7%
35-4420.2%
45-546.9%

Top Countries

New Zealand31.6%
United States of America15.6%
Australia11.1%
Brazil4.9%
United Kingdom4.7%

Top Languages

en82.5%
pt5.8%
es5.6%

Top Cities

Auckland11.9%
Canterbury3.1%
Wellington2.7%
Melbourne1.5%
Dunedin1.4%

Top 20 Creators

RankInfluencerLocationFollowersEngagementMonthly GrowthScore
1
Carine Claudepierre
@theconsciousplantkitchen
✨️🙏Easy Plant-Based Baking recipes for peaceful mind 🧘‍♂️No eggs, No Dairy, Better for You 🔗Author theconsciousplantkitchen.com
New Zealand
1.4M
Followers
0.51%
Engagement
+2.4%(+33.6K)
5.9
2
Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach
@hospocoach
“Darko Cvetkoski”, “The #HospoCoach”, “NZ”, “Helping owners build brands that people return to”, “Team training • Service excellence • Business growth
Canterbury, New Zealand
195.0K
Followers
1.06%
Engagement
+15.8%(+26.6K)
3.0
3
BoomBaangh
@boombaangh_team
“I don’t just cook; I create! It’s the perfect blend of fire, fat, protein, and pure love that turns every dish into a masterpiece. 🎥 Check out YT
New Zealand
645.6K
Followers
0.00%
Engagement
+2.6%(+16.4K)
8.8
4
Alice Taylor
@alicetayloreats
Download my E Book ⬇️ info@alicetayloreats.com Cheap and realistic cooking! NZ 🇳🇿 Food columnist @1newsnz Pastry Chef 👩‍🍳 Master of Politics 🌎
New Zealand
429.2K
Followers
1.31%
Engagement
+3.9%(+16.3K)
7.7
5
Torrell Tafa 🇳🇿🇼🇸
@torrelltafa
💬 NEW VIDEOS DAILY 💫 tiktok: torrelltafa (1.5M) 💫 snap: torrelltafa 📍AKL, NZ
Auckland, New Zealand
611.0K
Followers
0.28%
Engagement
+2.6%(+15.6K)
7.4
6
Rock Drive with Jay & Dunc
@therockdrive
The boys @DuncanHeyde & @thejayreeve 🤘🏻 we have a podcast @notforradiopodcast + stream live 3-7pm weekdays on @therockfm @rova.nz
New Zealand
536.3K
Followers
0.05%
Engagement
+2.3%(+11.9K)
6.0
7
Felix Zulhendri, Ph.D
@felix.zulhendri.phd
I.N.G.B.B.P. Sp. S PK SS PRB URO BPCP (gelar) Food/Biomedical/Nutrition Scientist @kebun.efi 🇮🇩 Extras: snowboarding❄️+ surfing noob🌊
New Zealand
391.3K
Followers
2.26%
Engagement
+2.2%(+8.3K)
7.8
8
Graham McTavish
@grahammctavish
Actor, Writer, Producer, Dad. First time bourbon producer
New Zealand
728.7K
Followers
1.46%
Engagement
+0.8%(+5.9K)
6.8
9
Amelia Ferrier
@melies_kitchen
Food Stylist & Recipe Developer Let’s work together! Please email amelia@melies.co.nz for any enquires. AKL, NZ
New Zealand
194.3K
Followers
2.18%
Engagement
+2.4%(+4.6K)
7.5
10
Vanya Insull
@vj_cooks
Easy and Affordable Recipes Family Meals, Baking and Desserts 👩🏼‍🍳 Founder of @cookplan_app Author of 3 x Bestselling Cookbooks 📚
New Zealand
241.7K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+1.5%(+3.6K)
8.1
11
Pairama Wright
@jamesw916
James@nosadcowboys.com follow @donebypai follow @whakaaro_pai
New Zealand
98.7K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+3.5%(+3.4K)
8.6
12
Julian Sheridan
@julesesestv
Clips without the faff, safe space.
New Zealand
313.2K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+1.0%(+3.2K)
6.7
13
Nicola Bennett- Abstract Painter NZ
@nicolabennettart
Alexandra, Otago Represented by @artis_gallery Connecting colour and flavour.
New Zealand
57.2K
Followers
2.02%
Engagement
+4.2%(+2.3K)
7.5
14
𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒆🧸
@grace_tainan
𝑇𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑠・𝐹𝑜𝑜𝑑・𝐶𝑢𝑡𝑒 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑠 🇹🇼🇳🇿🇰🇷🇭🇰🇯🇵 收錄沿途的風景和美好🫶🏻 喜歡開箱可愛的小東西✨
New Zealand
99.9K
Followers
4.86%
Engagement
+2.4%(+2.3K)
8.1
15
Desiree
@desbakesfromscratch
Physiotherapist by day, baker by night All things baking (sourdough of course) 👩🏼‍🍳 Collabs/PR desbakesfromscratch@gmail.com 💌
New Zealand
26.0K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+9.6%(+2.3K)
6.3
16
Riana Te Ngahue 💜
@rianatengahue
Learning politics against my will
New Zealand
55.0K
Followers
7.12%
Engagement
+3.9%(+2.0K)
8.9
17
Vaughan Mabee
@chefvaughanmabee
@amisfieldrestaurant
New Zealand
57.7K
Followers
0.60%
Engagement
+3.3%(+1.8K)
7.0
18
TheSulas
@slshomecooks
Proverbs 3:5-6 ✝️ Shanice👋🏼 Home-cooking FOOD - God ~ Life.. NZ🇼🇸 Collabs DM or sv.sula@hotmail.com 💌 TikTok & FB
New Zealand
72.6K
Followers
N/A
Engagement
+2.5%(+1.8K)
7.8
19
Kate Hawkesby
@katehawkesby
+katehawkesby@me.com
New Zealand
57.3K
Followers
5.84%
Engagement
+2.9%(+1.6K)
7.9
20
Daniel Rankin
@mancancooknz
Just a guy who likes to cook in his little old New Zealand kitchen with his pug
New Zealand
870.2K
Followers
1.51%
Engagement
+0.1%(+1.3K)
7.4

About This Instagram Influencer Ranking

Discover the most influential creators in New Zealand with our comprehensive ranking of the top 20 influencers on Instagram who post Food & Drink content. This data‑driven analysis identifies the content creators who are shaping conversations, driving trends, and commanding the highest engagement rates in 2026.

Key Insights & Metrics

  • Combined Reach: 5.0M potential impressions across all ranked influencers
  • Total Audience: 21.4M followers collectively following these creators
  • Average Engagement Rate: 3.57% - above industry average
  • Market Coverage: 544 total influencers analyzed in this category

Audience Demographics & Reach

The influencers in this ranking reach a diverse, global audience with primary concentrations in:

  • Top Markets: New Zealand, United States of America, Australia
  • Gender Distribution: 70% Female, 30% Male
  • Primary Age Group: 25-34 years (41.6% of audience)
  • Languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish

Why This Ranking Matters

For brands and marketers, this ranking provides essential intelligence for:

  • Identifying high-performing influencers for partnership opportunities
  • Understanding audience demographics for targeted campaigns
  • Benchmarking engagement rates and growth metrics
  • Discovering emerging talent with strong growth trajectories
  • Analyzing competitive landscape in Food & Drink niche

For content creators, these insights help with:

  • Understanding industry benchmarks and performance standards
  • Identifying successful content strategies from top performers
  • Network building and collaboration opportunities
  • Setting realistic growth targets based on peer performance

Methodology & Data Freshness

Our rankings are generated using advanced algorithms that analyze multiple performance indicators:

  • Profile Score: Proprietary metric combining reach, engagement, and growth
  • Engagement Rate: Average interaction rate across recent content
  • Growth Velocity: Month-over-month follower growth and momentum
  • Content Consistency: Posting frequency and audience retention
  • Audience Quality: Authenticity scores and demographic relevance

Data is refreshed weekly to ensure you're always working with the most current information. Last update includes performance data through April 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the fastest‑growing Food & Drink creator in New Zealand on Instagram?

Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) is, as of April 2026, the fastest‑growing Food & Drink creator in New Zealand on Instagram, with +2.4% monthly growth (+33.6K followers).

How many followers did Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) gain last month?

Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) gained about 33.6K followers last month (+2.4%).

Who grew more: Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) or Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach)?

Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) grew more than Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) (33.6K vs 26.6K).

How is Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) performing right now?

Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) is growing at +15.8% (+26.6K) per month, with a Profile Score of 3.0 and average engagement of 1.06%.

How is BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team) performing right now?

BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team) is growing at +2.6% (+16.4K) per month, with a Profile Score of 8.8 and average engagement of 0.00%.

How is Alice Taylor (@alicetayloreats) performing right now?

Alice Taylor (@alicetayloreats) is growing at +3.9% (+16.3K) per month, with a Profile Score of 7.7 and average engagement of 1.31%.

How is Torrell Tafa 🇳🇿🇼🇸 (@torrelltafa) performing right now?

Torrell Tafa 🇳🇿🇼🇸 (@torrelltafa) is growing at +2.6% (+15.6K) per month, with a Profile Score of 7.4 and average engagement of 0.28%.

Who had the higher percentage growth: Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) or BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team)?

Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) leads (15.8% vs BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team) 2.6%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen)?

Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) gained about 33.6K followers last month (+2.4%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach)?

Darko◾Cafe & Restaurant Coach (@hospocoach) gained about 26.6K followers last month (+15.8%).

What is the absolute follower gain of BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team)?

BoomBaangh (@boombaangh_team) gained about 16.4K followers last month (+2.6%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Alice Taylor (@alicetayloreats)?

Alice Taylor (@alicetayloreats) gained about 16.3K followers last month (+3.9%).

What is the absolute follower gain of Torrell Tafa 🇳🇿🇼🇸 (@torrelltafa)?

Torrell Tafa 🇳🇿🇼🇸 (@torrelltafa) gained about 15.6K followers last month (+2.6%).

Is Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) still a relevant creator?

Yes — Carine Claudepierre (@theconsciousplantkitchen) has a Profile Score of 5.9, average engagement of 0.51%, and +2.4% (+33.6K) monthly follower growth, indicating high relevance.

What is a good engagement rate for Food & Drink in New Zealand?

The average engagement rate for this category is 3.57%. Generally, rates above 4.3% are considered excellent, while rates above 2.9% are good. Engagement rates vary by platform, niche, and follower count - micro-influencers often have higher rates than mega-influencers.

How is the Profile Score calculated?

The Profile Score (0-10 scale) is a composite metric that weighs several factors: 40% engagement quality, 25% audience reach, 20% growth momentum, 10% content consistency, and 5% audience authenticity. A score above 7.0 indicates a high-performing influencer, while scores above 8.5 represent elite-tier creators.

Can I use this data for influencer marketing campaigns?

Yes! This ranking is designed to help brands, agencies, and marketers identify potential partnership opportunities. The data provides a starting point for campaign planning, competitor analysis, and market research. For detailed campaign analytics and contact information, consider upgrading to our professional tools.

What does monthly growth percentage mean?

Monthly growth shows the percentage change in followers over the past 30 days. Positive growth (green) indicates gaining followers, while negative growth (red) means losing followers. The number in parentheses shows the absolute follower change. High growth rates often indicate viral content or successful campaigns.

Why should I track influencers in New Zealand?

Location-specific influencer tracking is crucial for targeted marketing campaigns. Local influencers often have higher engagement rates within their geographic area, understand cultural nuances, and can drive better ROI for region-specific products or services. They're particularly valuable for retail, hospitality, and location-based businesses.

How can I improve my ranking as an influencer?

Focus on these key areas: (1) Increase engagement by creating content that encourages comments and shares, (2) Post consistently to maintain audience interest, (3) Use relevant hashtags to expand reach, (4) Collaborate with other creators in your niche, (5) Respond to comments to build community, and (6) Analyze your best-performing content and create similar pieces.

Note: This ranking represents a snapshot of current instagram influence based on publicly available data. Rankings can fluctuate based on content performance, platform algorithm changes, and audience behavior. Use this data as one of several factors in your decision-making process.