Microgreens’ Major Social Media Potential
May 28, 2025 
While microgreens are considered a niche crop, they have an edge on many fruits and vegetables in the social media space due to their visual appeal and health benefits. In a recent webinar, Kathy Kelley, Ph.D., professor of horticultural marketing and business management at Penn State University (PSU), explained how microgreens growers can use social media to market their product to consumers.
Who’s Buying Microgreens?
According to Dr. Kelley, microgreens consumers typically fall into one of three categories:
- Health-conscious consumers – Since microgreens are more nutrient-dense than their full-grown counterparts, they often appeal to people who read nutrition labels at the grocery store.
- Sustainability enthusiasts – Microgreens are grown indoors, so they tend to attract consumers who value locally grown, organic produce.
- Consumers following specific diets – Vegans, vegetarians, and people who follow plant-based diets are more likely to purchase microgreens from week to week.
In addition, USDA plans to create new dietary guidelines this fall. While these new guidelines aren’t official yet, they will place a heavier emphasis on consuming more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. This could help microgreens growers reach more consumer segments.
Using Social Media for Microgreens
Overall, Dr. Kelley encouraged microgreens growers to highlight the nutritional benefits and visual appeal of their product. For social media marketing, she said, Instagram and Pinterest are the two most effective platforms to do that.
Since many consumers “eat with their eyes first,” as Dr. Kelley puts it, posting pictures of microgreens (or dishes that have microgreens) on Instagram is an effective marketing tactic for microgreens growers. “Instagram is especially helpful if you don’t have direct contact with your consumers at farmers markets,” she says.
Dr. Kelley cited how Gordon Ramsay, the Michelin-starred celebrity chef, has shared his own recipes that call for microgreens on Instagram. Considering Ramsay has more than 18 million followers, she encouraged growers to capitalize on his popularity. “I would refer to his creations as a way to show that microgreens are trending,” she says.
While Instagram is an effective way to market to grocery store shoppers, it could also help microgreens growers break into the restaurant business. The visual appeal of microgreens often attracts chefs.
“Chefs are always looking for something that will set them apart from their competitors,” Dr. Kelley says. “One chef [Nishant Chaubey] has described microgreens as being ‘Instagrammable.’ That alone could be a reason for approaching restaurants about your product.”
Dr. Kelley also encouraged growers to use Pinterest as a marketing tool. Since many consumers log on to Pinterest to find new recipes, growers can use the platform to highlight different use cases for microgreens. For example, they can share their own recipes on Pinterest and describe how microgreens would elevate a popular dish that’s typically microgreen-free.
“Consider what your consumers are eating first. Chinese cuisine, for instance, has been the most popular cuisine in the U.S. for a number of years,” she says. “Think about how adding microgreens to a popular Chinese dish would enhance the flavor or work as a way to sell your product in a Pinterest recipe.”