This article originally appeared in the Food print issue, in stands February 2025. It has not been updated and some information may be out of date.
The intersection of celebrity culture and the food industry has become extremely popular over the years. From Hailey and Justin Bieber’s tasty beverages to rapper Travis Scott’s bundle meal with McDonald’s, fans love connecting with their idols through these partnerships.
With numerous celebrities often collaborating with various food chains, sales and profits have significantly increased. So, not only do stars promote their names on products, but food corporations are also reaping the benefits. This has not only fueled the creation of more partnerships but also limited edition merchandise that fans eagerly purchase. The concept of these collaborations has transformed the food industry.
Popular Celebrity Collaborations
In 2022, the Hailey Bieber “Strawberry Glaze Skin” smoothie was launched at Erewhon in collaboration with Bieber’s new skincare brand, Rhode. The smoothie, priced at $20, is made with strawberries, avocados, sea moss, collagen and almond milk. Similar to Rhode, this product is made to spoil the skin with benefits to achieve a “glazed skin” effect.
The product quickly gained popularity on social media, with people traveling to California to try the smoothie and others creating at-home dupes. During its peak popularity, Vogue writer Emma Specter drank the smoothie every day for a week. On day six, she wrote in her article, “Okay, I don’t know what kind of magic is at work here, but my skin looks the best it has in weeks, if not months, today?” This suggests that the hype surrounding Bieber’s smoothie may be accurate.
Hailey was not the only Bieber involved in a partnership. Her husband Justin collaborated with Tim Hortons that same year. On Nov. 29, 2021, Tim Hortons dropped the “Timbiebs Timbits” donut holes available in sour cream chocolate chip, chocolate white fudge and birthday cake waffle flavors. The donuts soon became a fan favorite.
Over half a year later, on June 6, 2022, Bieber worked with Tim Hortons again. Meet “Biebs Brew,” a French vanilla cold brew. “We couldn’t stop at Timbiebs, we needed a Biebs Brew, too. And we are bringing both to Tims next month,” Bieber said in a Tim Hortons press release. Customers were able to order their beverage in a custom tumbler. The collaboration was a success.
Another celebrity food collaboration was the Travis Scott Meal at McDonald’s. The partnership was released on Sept. 9, 2020. For $6, guests got a quarter pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce, a medium-sized fry, BBQ dipping sauce and a Sprite.
Along with the collaboration, Scott released special edition merchandise that was available only on his website. The McDonald’s website shared that “the collection features nods to vintage McDonald’s campaigns and includes items ranging from t-shirts and hoodies to entirely cut and sew garments and collectible accessories.” The exclusive merchandise is now unavailable.
How the Partnerships Benefit Sales
Why do companies continue to collaborate with celebrities? The facts show that these partnerships significantly boost sales.
Thanks to the collaboration with Justin Bieber, Tim Hortons’ sales increased by 10.3%, and fans with “Bieber Fever” excitedly visited the store to get in on the action. Fans flooded social media with selfies and pictures of the products, inspiring more people to purchase them. The successful partnership boosted sales and excited fans for the chance to feel closer to the star.
While the success of Hailey Bieber’s smoothie is evident, with Erewhon selling over 40,000 smoothies per month, it is not the only successful celebrity smoothie at the grocery store. Model Bella Hadid released a “Kinsicle Smoothie” made with sweet fruits like mango and banana. Kourtney Kardashian also had a charcoal smoothie for her brand Poosh. The smoothies excite fans, leaving them wanting more partnerships from Erewhon.
McDonald’s also saw increased sales due to the product collaborations. Just after the release of the Travis Scott Meal, McDonald’s shared that they saw a 4.6% rise, reaching an all-time high since the COVID-19 pandemic. The power and influence that stars have is not to be underestimated.
Fans enjoy feeling connected to their favorite celebrities, and endorsements or partnerships with various companies are the perfect way to do so. When fans see their idols purchasing a specific product, they are easily influenced to do the same. Social media has impacted this idea, making it easier to keep up with what celebrities are doing and to spread the word about collaborations.
