Alyssa Bantad: Food Marketing in the Age of Social Media

It is an exciting time to consider a career in the food and beverage industries. There are so many directions to pursue beyond roles in the kitchen. Interested in helping to shape a business's brand identity using new technologies? The field of social media marketing provides ample opportunities to work in the food industry, especially for those who have a passion for story-telling that creates connections between people, as Alyssa Bantad can attest. 

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Name: Alyssa Bantad
Job Title: Director of Social Media & Marketing
Local Company: The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops & Mayday Handcrafted Ice Cream

Alyssa's Career Path:
My parents are some of the biggest foodies I know. Having grown up in a household where you had to try everything at least once and where family vacations were scheduled around the best eats in town, you could say that some of my fondest memories revolve around food and the conversation it creates. Being able to combine my love for food with my passion for connecting with others is a dream to me. Believe it or not, my role started behind the counter of our flagship Hyppo in downtown St. Augustine selling ice pops. I would take photos in between shifts at the shop, write out captions and then send them to my manager, who would then post on our Instagram and Facebook. I had no idea a side gig at my part-time college job would lead to an opportunity like this. Now I not only run The Hyppo’s brand accounts, but also a handful of other food and beverage social media accounts under the Hyppo LLC. In addition, I get to spend my days interacting with customers directly, connecting with influencers and bloggers in our community and planning media events and initiatives for our stores.