Our mission is to empower women, shine a spotlight on what they are doing for the UK food industry and build a community of women who give each other support, confidence and strength.
About
We believe you can’t be what you can’t see. Championing and celebrating women in the UK food industry is at the heart of what we do. This is THE place for conversation, insight, news, events, podcasts, stories, networking and community support across all sectors of the food industry.
Subscribe to our newsletter and watch this space for a BRAND NEW way to take part in our community.
With your help we aim to:
• Increase the awareness of all the roles women play in the industry
• Show the wide range of roles and opportunities for women
• Connect women across all sectors for conversation and support
• Be a resource and a place where women can get the help they need
We want to see a world in which the food industry treats women as equal, champions inclusion and diversity and actively helps women of all ages and backgrounds fulfil their dreams and ambitions to work in food. We also want to help move women up the ranks and become strong leaders and role models in the industry.
Led by co-founder, Mex Ibrahim with the valuable help of Ambassadors: Irini Tzortzoglou, Antonia Lloyd, Shelley Sofier and Emma White, we all share the heart-felt belief that collaboration is better than competition and we welcome the support of both men and women to help our aims.
Women in the Food Industry became a Community Interest Company (CIC) on 18th July 2023 and doesn’t exist to make a profit – we work towards a purpose, reinvesting any surplus money into achieving our goal.
Events
The Conduit Food Industry Community Drinks – 1st May 2024
Join our supporters The Conduit – a members club for social impact – for Food Industry community drinks on Wednesday 1st May! Meet the burgeoning community committed to creating a sustainable, just and prosperous future for food.
Wednesday, 1st May 2024
The Conduit, 6 Langley St, London WC2H 9JA
Growing & Cooking Food in The City – Conversations Around The Cookery School Table – Monday 29th April 2024
We have teamed up with our friends at Cookery School at Little Portland Street to bring you discounted tickets to their brand new series of monthly events. Their next event takes place on April 29th 2024 from 6pm-8.30pm and is run with The Soil Association for Plant & Share Month. They have brought together a fascinating panel with a wide range of experience in greening in the very heart of the capital.
Monday, 29th April 2024
Cookery School at Little Portland Street
15b Little Portland Street
London
W1W 8BW
Spill The Beans – Food Industry Insights for Start-Ups & Entrepreneurs – Monday 22nd April 2024
Spill the Beans is an entrepreneurial, inspirational and motivational networking event aimed at food and drinks start-ups and entrepreneurs from ethnic minority communities. Our co-founder Mex Ibrahim is delighted to be on this panel taking place on Monday 22nd April, 2024 from 7pm-9pm. Find out more and discover how to get discounted tickets.
Monday, 22nd April 2024
Hatcham House
367 Queen's Road, London, SE14 5HD
Women in .. Networking with Impact – Thursday 11th April 2024
Women of the Year Luncheon Awards (WOTY) is delighted to invite you to attend its first regional networking event kindly hosted by LSH Auto UK Limited at its showroom in Stockport on 11 April 2024 at 12pm. Women in the Food Industry co-founder, Mex Ibrahim, will be speaking on the panel.
Thursday, 11th April 2024
LSH Auto Limited, Mercedes-Benz of Stockport
Brighton Road, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK4 2BE
Why Women Led Food Businesses Work – The Future of Food is Female – IFE – International Food & Drink Event – Wednesday 27th March 2024
IFE- International Food & Drink Event, is the UK’s largest and most successful event for product sourcing for buyers from across the retail, foodservice, hospitality, wholesale, distribution, import and export sectors. It returns to Excel from 25-27th March. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, is delighted to be chairing a session in the Future Food Stage on 27th March called Why Women-Led Food Businesses Work – The Future of Food is Female.
Wednesday, 27th March 2024
Future Food Stage
IFE - International Food & Drink Event
ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
The Future for Vegan & Plant-Based Diets – Has The Bubble Burst? – IFE Manufacturing 2024 – Wednesday 27th March
IFE Manufacturing is the ultimate product sourcing platform for food & drink manufacturers to do business. It is part of Food, Drink & Hospitality Week at Excel. Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, is delighted to be chairing a session at the Trends & Innovation Platform on 27th March called Why Women-Led What’s the Future for Vegan & Plant Based Diets – Has the Bubble Burst? Read on to find out about the women in the plant-based food industry who are on the panel and what you will takeaway from the panel and the event.
Wednesday, 27th March 2024
Trends & Innovation Platform
IFE Manufacturing
ExCeL London, Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Gateway, London E16 1XL
Chocolate – The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly – Conversations Around The Cookery School Table
We have teamed up with our friends at Cookery School at Little Portland Street to bring you discounted tickets to their brand new series of monthly events. Their next event takes place on 25th March 2024 from 6pm-8.30pm and will explore important issues around sustainability in chocolate. Find out more and discover how to get discounted tickets.
Monday, 25th March 2024
Cookery School at Little Portland Street
15b Little Portland Street
London
W1W 8BW
Better Hospitality Conference 2024 (18th – 19th March)
Our co-founder Mex Ibrahim is speaking at The Better Hospitality Conference on 19th March (the second day of the two day conference) at 11:30am-12:30pm on the following panel “Do we need to do more to address media portrayals of gender roles in hospitality?”
Tuesday, 19th March 2024
Mercato Mayfair
North Audley Street
London W1K 6ZA
News
14/04/2024
Listen to Sam & Shauna of Hang Fire BBQ : Podcast with Women In the Food Industry – WIFI Chats
WIFI Chats is a series of podcasts hosted by Mex Ibrahim, co-founder of Women in The Food Industry. In this episode Mex talks to the first ladies of UK BBQ – Sam & Shauna of the BBC’s Food & Farming Award winning Hang Fire BBQ & three BBC hit series Sam & Shauna’s Big Cook Out & authors of best selling cookbook – The Hang Fire Cookbook Recipes & Adventures in American BBQ.
10/04/2024
Plant Feasts by Frankie Paz – Book Review by Women in the Food Industry Ambassador Antonia Lloyd
Plant Feasts – Frankie Paz’s debut cookbook (published by Nourish Books / Watkins 9th April 2024) is reviewed by Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry and TV Producer, Antonia Lloyd, who talks candidly with Frankie about her overcoming drug addiction and then appearing on Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Challenge for Channel 4.
09/04/2024
Black Bull Dinners – Top 50 Gastropub to host female chef dinner series for Spring 2024
The Black Bull, Sedbergh, is gearing up to host its first ever spring chef dinner series, with top female chefs set to take to the Black Bull’s stoves to create three one-off small plates tasting menus alongside chef-owner Nina Matsunaga who was recently seen on Great British Menu.
06/04/2024
The shortlist for the Claire Aho Award for Women Photographers 2024 was announced on April 4th 2024. Part of the global Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year Awards, this award aims to encourage and celebrate women photographers. We are delighted to share the photos of the UK Finalists in this category.
29/03/2024
Easy Wins by Anna Jones – Book Review by Women in the Food Industry Ambassador Antonia Lloyd
Easy Wins is the new cookbook by award-winning author Anna Jones, the preeminent voice of modern vegetarian cooking in the UK. It’s already creating a stir and has hit no 1 in The Times Bestseller list in its second week, a coup for author Anna but above all a win for us all. Ambassador of Women In the Food Industry, Antonia Lloyd, reviews Anna’s book.
20/03/2024
UPDATE – 20th March 2024 – Kate Austen made history & became the first woman in Great British Menu’s 19 year history to have her main course reach the banquet. Congratulations Kate – we look forward to watching you prepare your stunning Olympian dish for the banquet at the British ambassador’s residence in Paris to celebrate the Olympics and Paralympics – BBC2 22nd March 7pm.
15/03/2024
Wine Industry’s #MeToo Moment? Curious Vine’s Queena Wong Responds
Queena Wong, founder of Curious Vines, the supportive community that connects women in wine, has commented on the article that appeared in The Times T2 on, March 14th 2024. With a headline: Is the wine industry about to have its own MeToo moment? journalist Kate Spicer shared experiences of women who work in the wine trade. Queena Wong had conducted a recent survey of women who work in the wine trade, where one in three described experiencing harassment.
10/03/2024
At Women in the Food Industry we are interviewing the strong female line-up of chefs from across Britain competing to serve their dish at the final banquet. To continue our series, our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, interviewed Elly Wentworth Head Chef at The Angel in Dartmouth, Devon.
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