During this time of lockdown, many of you will not be surprised to learn that our drinking habits have changed. What may be more surprising is that one in three people claim to be reducing what they drink! The low / no alcohol trend is clearly more than a trend. We spoke to Emma Heal, Partner and Managing Director of Lucky Saint – the low alcohol lager which is seeing a dramatic increase in sales.

The lockdown has left many people within the hospitality industry furloughed and often feeling a lack of purpose. We spoke to Andrea Zick, PA to the GM of OXO Tower Restaurant Brasserie and Bar & former Food Made Good Champion about how she put her skills and experience to great use by helping others during this challenging period.

We are continuing our series of news features of  women in the food industry who are putting their skills and experience to great use by helping others in this challenging time.  We spoke to Clara Widdison, Head of Social Inclusion at The Mayor’s Fund for London and she told us about her all women team of staff and volunteers running emergency hubs for children across London.

Continuing our series of positive stories from women in the food industry in these challenging times. Sonya Devi-Clarke is Director & Founder The Vegetable Diva a packaging free, vegetarian catering company in Bristol and a 4 acre biodynamic vegetable plot just outside the city. We discovered how she helped to co-found The Bristol Food Union, a collective of restaurants, food businesses and community organisations to help ensure the city of Bristol stays fed during the Covid-19 crisis.

We were heartened to hear how a number of women have collaborated to help others during the Coronavirus pandemic. Elisa Furci of Caccia & Tails  shared how she has been working with a number of women in the food industry and the design world to pool their skills to fundraise to help feed NHS staff in Lewes, West Sussex.

We have been heartened by the stories coming in from many in the food industry who have been motivated to use their skills and energy to help others.  Jodi Hinds was kind enough to share her wonderful  photos of a team of over 20 chefs from leading restaurants who have taken over the kitchens at Le Pont de la Tour to prepare over 1,500 lunches a day for NHS workers at University College Hospital and 5 other hospitals.

As you know we have been talking to a number of women in the food industry about how they are handing the lockdown. Bekka Corrie-Close with her husband David founded The Horned Beef Company less than 10 years ago, with no experience of farming. Based on the principles of Farming with Nature, they are passionate about how people should manage our countryside.

We spoke to Camilla Lywood founder of What A Pickle about her COVID-19 story and what steps she’s taken to be creative and reinvent her business. The extra time that she feels she has have gained from not running around the country has concentrated her mind to hone systems within her business for the better.