Unearthing the Green Gurus: Your Guide to Top Plant-Based Food Influencers Across Major US Cities

Key Insights into the Plant-Based Influencer Landscape

Dynamic & Niche Focus: The plant-based influencer space is highly active, with nano (1,000–10,000 followers) and micro (10,000–100,000 followers) influencers gaining trust through authentic, niche-specific content, often focused on recipes, sustainable living, and health benefits.
Austin Leads the Pack: Austin, Texas, boasts the most identifiable and vibrant community of plant-based nano and micro-influencers, with several creators explicitly dedicated to vegan and plant-based food content.
Unearthing Local Talent: While comprehensive, ranked lists are not always publicly available, local hashtags (e.g., #stlvegan, #austinvegans), community organizations, and specialized influencer platforms are crucial tools for discovering these influential voices.

Navigating the Plant-Based Influencer Ecosystem

The world of plant-based food influence is rich and diverse, with passionate creators sharing their culinary journeys and nutritional insights across social media. Nano and micro-influencers, in particular, are highly valued for their authentic engagement and deep connection with their communities. This guide delves into the top plant-based food nano and micro-influencers in St. Louis, Minneapolis, Portland, Austin, and Los Angeles, providing a detailed look at who's making an impact in each city as of June 3, 2025.

Defining Nano and Micro Influencers

Understanding the distinction between nano and micro-influencers is key to appreciating their impact. Nano-influencers typically command a following of 1,000 to 10,000 individuals, while micro-influencers range from 10,000 to 100,000 followers. These smaller-scale influencers are often perceived as more trustworthy and relatable due to their niche focus and genuine interactions with their audience. They are pivotal in fostering strong, engaged communities around specific interests, such as plant-based living.

St. Louis: A Growing Green Scene

St. Louis is rapidly becoming a significant player in the plant-based food industry, marked by a burgeoning number of vegan and plant-friendly establishments. This growth fosters a fertile ground for local plant-based food influencers.

Leading Voices in St. Louis's Plant-Based Movement

Caryn Dugan (STL Veg Girl / Center for Plant-Based Living): A highly prominent educator and advocate, Caryn Dugan is a central figure in St. Louis's plant-based community. She offers classes, leads the Center for Plant-Based Living, and frequently appears in local media, actively promoting plant-based nutrition and culinary education.
Erica Leigh: With approximately 23.1K followers, Erica Leigh is a St. Louis-based food enthusiast and TikTok influencer who shares local culinary adventures, often highlighting plant-based dishes and Black-owned vegan businesses. Her content contributes significantly to the local food conversation.
Chris Bertke of Vegan Deli & Butcher: While a business owner, Chris Bertke's innovative plant-based sandwich creations have made him a local influencer, shaping St. Louis's vegan food culture through his offerings.
Devonte Jackson & Derrick Mosley (Da Vegan Way): These Black entrepreneurs are known for their vegan comfort food, which they introduce to the St. Louis market through pop-ups, actively spreading awareness and delicious plant-based options.
UnseasonedVegan (Instagram): This account focuses on local vegan food and events in St. Louis, providing valuable insights into the city's plant-based offerings.
Mary (@delishknowledge): A chef and plant-eater in St. Louis, Mary focuses on mindful, simplified living through delicious and nutrient-dense plant-based and vegetarian food.
Amanda Wilens (@feedme_withamanda): Amanda shares food from around St. Louis, including homemade recipes, some of which are plant-based, on her Instagram and blog (feedmewithamanda.com).
Gabrielle: A St. Louis foodie with over 32.6K TikTok followers, Gabrielle shares local restaurants and activities, potentially featuring plant-based spots.
Local Micro Vegan Accounts (e.g., SweetArt Bakeshop + Café, Adina’s Vegan Cuisine, Bougie Bites STL): Many of these accounts are operated by Black women business owners, offering diverse plant-based fare and contributing to the local vegan scene.

Exploring STL Veg Girl's Vision for Plant-Based Living

Caryn Dugan, known as STL Veg Girl, is a driving force behind the plant-based movement in St. Louis. Her journey began with a personal health transformation, leading her to establish the Center for Plant-Based Living. The center provides education and resources, aiming to empower individuals to adopt a plant-based lifestyle for improved health. Her appearances in local media and engagement in the community make her an indispensable voice in the St. Louis plant-based sphere.

A discussion with Caryn Dugan, STL Veg Girl, on plant-based living.

Minneapolis: Quietly Cultivating Green Roots

While specific nano and micro plant-based food influencers in Minneapolis are not as explicitly named in public data, the city demonstrates a growing plant-based culture through initiatives and general food content creators.

Discovering Minneapolis's Plant-Based Pulse

Wicked Kitchen: Although a brand, Wicked Kitchen's initiative to launch 100% animal-free concessions at venues like the Target Center in Minneapolis signifies a robust plant-based market often highlighted by local food enthusiasts and potentially nano-influencers.
Foodieapolis: This prominent account in the Twin Cities provides an overview of various restaurant offerings. While not exclusively plant-based, its coverage of local eats may include meatless options, appealing to plant-based audiences.
General Twin Cities Foodies: A broader group of Instagram foodies in the Twin Cities may occasionally feature plant-based options in their content, such as plant-based burgers or vegan desserts, without explicitly focusing on them.

To identify dedicated plant-based nano-influencers in Minneapolis, it is recommended to follow local vegan and health food channels on Instagram, using hashtags like #mplsveg and #minneapolisvegan.

Portland: A Vegan Mecca with Untapped Influencer Gems

Portland is renowned globally for its vibrant vegan and plant-based food culture, characterized by a high concentration of vegan restaurants and businesses. However, specific ranked lists of local nano and micro-influencers for plant-based foods are less publicly available.

Navigating Portland's Plant-Based Digital Sphere

Many nano and micro-influencers in Portland operate within broader vegan and plant-based niches, focusing on holistic lifestyles, plant nutrition, recipe creation, and activism. They are active on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, sharing plant-based recipes, sustainable living tips, and local vegan restaurant reviews.

A couple enjoying vegan food in Portland, Oregon

An image depicting a couple enjoying vegan food in Portland, highlighting the city's rich plant-based culture.

Identifying these local gems often requires tracking city-specific vegan hashtags like #PlantBasedPortland, #VeganPortland, and utilizing niche influencer marketing tools to filter by location and specialization.

Austin: A Flourishing Hub for Plant-Based Creators

Austin, Texas, stands out with a thriving food influencer community that includes a strong presence of plant-based nano and micro-influencers. The city's dynamic food scene encourages content creators to highlight diverse culinary options, including an abundance of vegan and plant-based choices.

Spotlight on Austin's Plant-Powered Personalities

Kristi Roeder (@plantifulkristi): An Austin-based food influencer, Kristi is known for posting "positively scrumptious looking vegan meals" on her Instagram page, making her a prominent voice in the local plant-based community.
Chenoa Brookins (@chenoa.brookins): With 16.8K followers, Chenoa shares a #plant-based life and is recognized as a health and wellness, lifestyle, travel, and veganism blogger in Austin.
@asipoftexas (28.3K followers): This account provides Austin food guides and home recipes, often including plant-based options, catering to a wide audience interested in the city's culinary landscape.
@sushigirl_atx (27.6K followers): Focused on finding the best eats, sips, and stays in Austin, this influencer frequently features diverse food content that includes plant-based dishes.
@atxfoodiesblog (23.4K followers): This account captures the vibrant food scene in Austin, with some content dedicated to plant-based options, showcasing the city's culinary variety.
@rachellately (82K followers): An Austin local and the foodie behind @512bites, Rachel shares a wide array of things to do, including food experiences that often encompass plant-based choices.
Kelsey (@somuchlifeblog): An Austin-based lifestyle blogger and author with 40K followers, Kelsey covers family life and local cuisine, likely including diverse culinary options such as plant-based meals.
@eatdrinkdoaustin (25.2K followers): An Austin content creator focusing on food, drinks, fashion, wellness, and events, this account also includes plant-based eating in its diverse content.
Vida Sternberg: A content creator based in Austin focusing on beauty, lifestyle, and plant care, her emphasis on "plant care" often correlates with plant-based living, making her relevant to the community.

Los Angeles: A Global Vegan Vanguard

Los Angeles is recognized as a global epicenter for vegan and plant-based living, attracting a multitude of micro and nano creators. While specific local names for nano and micro-influencers were not extensively detailed in the provided data, the city's reputation ensures a vibrant community of plant-based advocates.

Exploring LA's Green Influence

The plant-based influencer landscape in Los Angeles encompasses various categories, including:

Vegan fitness coaches: Many nano-influencers, like @forest.nash (2.6K followers), focus on plant-based fitness and nutrition, combining healthy eating with active lifestyles.
Plant-based cooking and wellness creators: Numerous micro-influencers specialize in sharing easy plant-based recipes, plant-based baking, and ethical eating advocacy, growing their following through engaging content.
Food Photographers: Professionals like Lindsay Kreighbaum, a Los Angeles food photographer, collaborate with plant-based restaurants such as Donna Jean and Todo Verde, indirectly showcasing the rich vegan culinary scene in the city. These collaborations often feature visually appealing plant-based dishes that influencers then share.

A plant-based dish from Todo Verde, photographed by Lindsay Kreighbaum

A vibrant plant-based dish from Todo Verde in Los Angeles, captured by food photographer Lindsay Kreighbaum.

Vegan pizza and brunch from Donna Jean in Los Angeles, photographed by Lindsay Kreighbaum

Delicious vegan pizza and brunch offerings from Donna Jean, another plant-based restaurant in Los Angeles, photographed by Lindsay Kreighbaum.

To pinpoint specific nano and micro-influencers in LA, tools that allow filtering by location and niche, such as Collabstr and Favikon, are highly recommended.

Comparative Analysis of Plant-Based Influencer Presence

To provide a structured overview, the following table summarizes the identified plant-based food nano and micro-influencers and the general influencer landscape in each city. This table integrates information from all provided sources, highlighting notable figures and key characteristics of each market.

City	Notable Plant-Based Nano/Micro Influencers Identified	Typical Follower Range (Estimated)	Key Characteristics & Finding Methods
St. Louis	Caryn Dugan (STL Veg Girl), Erica Leigh, Chris Bertke (Vegan Deli & Butcher), Devonte Jackson & Derrick Mosley (Da Vegan Way), UnseasonedVegan, Mary (@delishknowledge), Amanda Wilens (@feedme_withamanda), Gabrielle, Local Black-owned Vegan Businesses	2K – 32K+	Emerging plant-based scene with strong community advocates and Black-owned vegan businesses. Use #stlvegan and local event tags.
Minneapolis	Wicked Kitchen (brand-level influence), Foodieapolis (general food content)	Nano to Micro (inferred)	Strong plant-based brand presence; general food influencers might cover vegan options. Search #mplsveg, #minneapolisvegan.
Portland	Specific names not explicitly detailed, but known for many active local vegan recipe creators, lifestyle coaches, and activists.	Nano to Micro	Vibrant vegan culture, but direct influencer lists are less public. Use #PlantBasedPortland, #VeganPortland, and influencer marketing tools.
Austin	Kristi Roeder (@plantifulkristi), Chenoa Brookins (@chenoa.brookins), @asipoftexas, @sushigirl_atx, @atxfoodiesblog, @rachellately, Kelsey (@somuchlifeblog), @eatdrinkdoaustin, Vida Sternberg	16K – 82K+	Highly active and well-documented plant-based food influencer community on Instagram and TikTok.
Los Angeles	Forest Nash (vegan fitness), numerous micro vegan cooking/wellness creators, collaborations with food photographers (Lindsay Kreighbaum)	2K – 100K+	Global hub for veganism with many micro and nano creators across various niches. Use influencer marketplaces for detailed searches.

Assessing Influencer Reach and Impact: A Radar Chart Analysis

The following radar chart provides a visual representation of the relative strengths and characteristics of the plant-based influencer ecosystems in each of the analyzed cities. These assessments are based on the prevalence of named influencers, the explicit focus on plant-based content, community support, and the ease of identification of nano/micro-influencers within each market.

This radar chart illustrates that Austin generally excels across all metrics, particularly in the number of identified influencers and ease of discovery, reflecting its dynamic plant-based scene. Portland, while having a strong community and overall market vibrancy, might require more effort to identify specific nano/micro-influencers. St. Louis shows a promising and growing scene, while Minneapolis still appears to have a more nascent, albeit developing, explicit plant-based influencer presence based on the available data.

Strategies for Discovering Nano & Micro Influencers

Given the dynamic nature of the influencer landscape, especially at the nano and micro-levels, a systematic approach is essential for identifying the most relevant plant-based food creators in specific cities.

A Mindmap for Influencer Identification

mindmap root["Discovering Plant-Based Nano/Micro Influencers"] id1["Platform Searches"] id1_1["Instagram Hashtags"] id1_1_1["#CityVegan"] id1_1_2["#CityPlantBased"] id1_1_3["#CityVeganFoodie"] id1_2["TikTok & YouTube"] id1_2_1["Local Food Challenges"] id1_2_2["Vegan Recipe Tutorials"] id2["Influencer Marketing Platforms"] id2_1["Collabstr"] id2_1_1["Filter by City"] id2_1_2["Filter by Niche (Vegan/Plant-Based)"] id2_1_3["Filter by Follower Count (Nano/Micro)"] id2_2["Favikon & Modash"] id2_2_1["Engagement Analytics"] id2_2_2["Audience Demographics"] id2_3["Feedspot & Influencer Hero"] id2_3_1["Curated Lists"] id2_3_2["Emerging Creators"] id3["Community & Local Resources"] id3_1["Local Vegan Groups & Meetups"] id3_1_1["Facebook Groups"] id3_1_2["Meetup.com"] id3_2["Plant-Based Festivals & Events"] id3_2_1["Organizers & Attendees"] id3_2_2["Vendors & Sponsors"] id3_3["Local Vegan Restaurants & Shops"] id3_3_1["Tagged Posts"] id3_3_2["Collaborations & Features"] id4["Content Analysis"] id4_1["Authenticity & Engagement"] id4_1_1["Comments & Shares"] id4_1_2["Relatability"] id4_2["Niche Relevance"] id4_2_1["Recipes & Nutrition"] id4_2_2["Lifestyle & Sustainability"] id4_2_3["Local Focus"]

This mindmap outlines a comprehensive strategy for identifying nano and micro plant-based food influencers. It emphasizes leveraging social media hashtags for direct discovery, utilizing specialized influencer marketing platforms for detailed filtering and analysis, and tapping into local community events and businesses for organic connections. Analyzing content for authenticity and niche relevance ensures that the identified influencers align with specific marketing or collaboration goals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between a nano and micro-influencer?

Nano-influencers typically have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers, while micro-influencers generally have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers. Both are valued for their authentic engagement and niche-specific content.

Why are specific top 10 lists for each city hard to find publicly?

Comprehensive, ranked lists for nano and micro-influencers in specific city-and-niche combinations are often not publicly available as most commercial influencer platforms focus on broader or larger-scale influencers. Identifying them typically requires targeted searches using city-specific hashtags and specialized tools.

What are the best methods to find local plant-based nano and micro-influencers?

Effective methods include using Instagram and TikTok with city-specific hashtags (e.g., #austinvegans, #stlvegan), utilizing influencer marketing platforms (like Collabstr, Favikon, Modash) that allow filtering by location and follower count, and engaging with local vegan community groups, events, and restaurants.

Which city has the most identifiable plant-based nano and micro-influencers based on the current data?

Based on the available information, Austin, Texas, has the most detailed and extensive list of explicitly identified plant-based nano and micro-influencers.

Are there any specific plant-based influencers mentioned for Los Angeles or Portland?

While Los Angeles and Portland are known for vibrant vegan communities, specific nano and micro-influencers dedicated to plant-based food were not extensively detailed in the provided data. General categories like vegan fitness coaches and lifestyle creators are present, and local hashtags or influencer marketplaces are recommended for identification.

Conclusion

The landscape of plant-based food influencers, especially at the nano and micro levels, is a dynamic and evolving space. While comprehensive, ranked lists for every city and niche remain somewhat elusive in public data, significant insights can be gleaned from community engagement, platform searches, and specialized influencer tools. Austin clearly stands out as a thriving hub for identifiable plant-based nano and micro-influencers, showcasing a vibrant community of creators dedicated to vegan and plant-based content. St. Louis is rapidly developing its plant-based scene with strong local advocates, while Minneapolis shows a growing interest through broader initiatives. Portland and Los Angeles, despite their reputations as vegan havens, require more targeted efforts to unearth their specific nano and micro-influencer talents. The authenticity and high engagement rates of these smaller-scale influencers make them invaluable for promoting plant-based lifestyles and products, highlighting the importance of tailored identification strategies to connect with these influential voices.