Social media platforms that cater specifically to food are limited. Mixo co-founder Shirley Romig would like to change that.
“Food is fundamental to our everyday lives. People spend so much time on social media, and 40% of the people who follow social media follow food content,” she told The Food Institute. “Yet, there’s no verticalized social platform where people can just access food content.
“If you actually want to cook alongside a TikTok video, it’s nearly impossible.”
These factors helped inspire the new Mixo social media platform, which officially launches tomorrow. The short-form video platform, which is backed by AlleyCorp, allows users and creators to share recipes, nutrition advice, restaurant reviews, and more.
Food content has received 290 billion views on TikTok and 483 million posts on Instagram – more than beauty and gaming combined – according to Mixo’s co-founders. As a result, Romig and fellow Mixo co-founder Shaun Seo wanted in on the action.
Seo noted that many foodies who use platforms like Instagram can be overwhelmed by video content. “For example, you can’t search for a specific dish or recipes. Being able to search for something specific [with Mixo] is going to be much easier, because we built our search experience on top of food taxonomy – you know, different cuisine, allergen information, different sorts of ingredients, and things like that.”
Mixo users will also be able to save and organize their content, plus have guided cooking experiences in which videos “auto-pause” at each step, Seo explained.
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Romig and Seo say they created Mixo in part with restaurants in mind. They envision restaurant operators building channels on the platform to showcase elements like top dishes, chefs, and the back of the house. The entrepreneurs say their app will eventually facilitate online ordering and restaurant reservations with the click of a button.
“As a restaurant owner, it’s really hard; you’re a small business owner for the most part,” Romig said. “It’s very hard to get the word out. There are limited ways for you to be able to advertise your restaurant, and restaurants run on very tight margins and a tight budget.
“So, we really see [Mixo] as a way for restaurants to get the word out.”
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Romig said she’s heard from countless parents of Gen Z consumers who welcome the idea of a food-centric app.
“There’s a ton of appetite” for the new app, Romig said.
While she realizes social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have a significant head start on Mixo, Romig also feels confident that her platform will offer a less “toxic” digital atmosphere than its competition. Because, she said, instead of any messages involving bullying, or mindless videos, Mixo is mainly focused on “learning about food, learning about other cultures.”
“What we’re building is so different that, for us, I almost see [other social media platforms] as a thing of the past,” Romig said. “I know that’s kind of a bold statement to make, but what we’re really doing in the short- and long-term is to create an environment where it’s all about food.”
