Our awesome Women in the Food Industry panel event was ably chaired by food writer Jenny Linford, who led a lively and inspiring discussion on sustainability, equality in hospitality, heritage and authenticity at The Conduit on 12th December 2023. Discover what happened.

Alexa Fernandez is the Founder and CEO of Chili Maven, bringing the flavour & fire of authentic Mexican chilis with her Great Taste award winning salsa macha products. Our co-founder Mex Ibrahim caught up with her recently to find out more about her background and how she was able to bring the addictive condiment from Mexico to the UK including a launch into Selfridges Food Hall.

On November 18th 2023 our co-founder, Mex Ibrahim attended an event by City Harvest which showed how surplus food was given another life. Together with their friends at London’s Community Kitchen they co-hosted a Covent Garden Supper Club at The Conduit.  The supper acted as a great introduction to see how London’s first surplus food distribution charity are making positive changes in their efforts to reduce London’s food waste.

In this episode, Mex, co-founder of ⁠Women in The Food Industry⁠ talks to Bethan Thomas, co-founder & CEO of ⁠HotTea Mama⁠, an award-winning women’s wellness tea company (including several Nourish Awards), making teas to support better periods, pregnancy, motherhood and menopause. HotTea Mama was founded by Bethan and Kate Achilles following fertility struggles, subsequent pregnancies, and parenthood experiences. Bethan worked as a tea buyer for some of the UK’s biggest tea brands before setting up the sustainable tea business.

Calling all FoodTech innovators!  Inspired by the Fortune 500, our supporter Forward Fooding is proud to present the FoodTech 500, the world’s first definitive list of the global entrepreneurial talent at the intersection between food, technology and sustainability. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of the ‘Fortune 500’ of the FoodTech sector, applications close on November 15th!

Congratulations to Lily Morris who became Young Cheesemonger of the Year 2023.  The 21 year old from Morris’ of Usk Garden & Food Centre in Usk, Monmouthshire, south Wales  picked up her honour at the World Cheese Awards held at the Trondheim Spektrum, Norway.  The Academy of Cheese run the contest which champions new talented cheesemongers under the age of 30.

Women in The Food Industry member and award-winning chef, Amber Francis, hailed as one to watch on Great British Menu, is taking on a new challenge – cooking incredible food in a school as she joins Chefs In Schools. The pioneering non profit, Chefs in Schools recently won a BBC Food and Farming Award – the Derek Cooper Award for Outstanding Achievement. 

Congratulations to the winners of the BBC Food and Farming Awards which took place on 25th October 2023 at the ICCW in Newport.  The awards were judged and hosted by great presenters including Radio 4’s The Food Programme host, Sheila Dillon, Thomasina Miers, cook, television presenter and co-founder of the Wahaca chain of Mexican restaurants, drinks writer Jaega Wise,  food presenter Leyla Kazim and presenters Sam and Shauna from Hangfire BBQ.  We were delighted to see so many women win awards at the ceremony.

The Biskery create bespoke, to order, handmade, artisan biscuits for businesses and consumers. Saskia Roskam shares the story with Women In The Food Industry of how she and Lisa Shepherd (a fellow digital marketeer), came to set up the company, which now offers other mothers flexible work at their award-winning sustainable business.

In this episode, Mex co-founder of Women in the Food Industry, talks to Amanda Ross, CEO & Co-Founder of Cactus TV, who amongst other shows have produced the multi-award winning show, Saturday Kitchen, for 17 years. Amanda is strong champion of women and discusses why this is important, plus she candidly explores her experience of working as woman in the TV world. 

Plan Zheroes are a surplus food charity connecting businesses with surplus food to nearby charities who can use it. This Autumn, Plan Zheroes will be making a new cookbook and they are inviting all who care about food-surplus to join them in this celebration. We spoke to one of their Ambassadors, Kirsten Frederickson, about the project.

The Restaurant Show showcases the best products, services and innovations in the market and returns to London’s Olympia from 2nd to the 4th October 2023.  Our co-founder, Mecca Ibrahim, is delighted to be part of  panel at Restaurant Live on 3rd October called Inclusive onboard: Retaining and welcoming fresh talent to the industry.  Read on to find more about  on the panel and how you can register for the session & for free tickets to The Restaurant Show.