Speciality Food Magazine - April 2026

is important,what the industry should ultimately be striving for is parity in opportunity – ensuring women have the same access to investment, networks and routes to market as theirmale counterparts. As this is currently not the case. Community plays avital role in helpingwomen navigate these challenges. The food industry can be competitive, particularly for small producersworking hard to secure listingswhilemanaging margins, production and logistics. Having a supportive network of peerswho understand those realities canmake a significant difference. Time and again I hear how valuable it is for founders to connectwith otherswho have faced similar hurdles –whether that’s advice on pitching to buyers, navigating distributor relationships or simplymanaging the ups and T he fine food drink world is full of incrediblewomen – powerhouses who evolve the sector, shape it for the better, and create excitementwith aplomb. And yet, equality remains a challenge and recognition is fought for across the industry.We’ve gathered viewpoints fromwomenwho are passionate aboutmaking change and representingwomen at their best. Mecca Ibrahim, co-founder of Women in the Food Industry Across the UK’s speciality food sector,women are playing an increasinglyvisible role as founders, producers and brand builders. Fromcraft chocolatemakers and cheesemongers to drinks entrepreneurs and condiment creators,women are behindmany of the products lining the shelves of farm shops, delis and independent food halls. Throughmywork as co-founder ofWomen InThe Food Industry, I’ve had the opportunity tomeet and interviewmany of these founders.What consistently stands out is not only the quality of the products they create, but the determination and creativity required to build a food brand from the ground up. Walk through trade events such as IFE and Speciality&Fine Food Fair and you’ll see a growing number of women presenting their products to buyers and distributors. In theworld of small- scale food production,women are oftenwell represented among founders. Yet representation alone does not always translate into equal access to opportunity. Manywomen building food brands still face challenges around funding, scaling and visibility.While parity in numbers downs of entrepreneurship.When knowledge and experience are shared openly, it strengthens the entire sector. There is also a powerful confidence boost that comes from seeing otherwomen succeed. Role models matter, particularly in an industrywheremany founders start small and independently.Male allies matter too. AtWomen in the Food Industrywe are very excited to be a partnerwith the first UK MaleAllies Summit – committed to putting allyship and inclusion at the forefront of 2026. Communities, networks and partnerships help create visibility, encouragement and practical support at every stage of the journey. Retailers and other industry players also have an important role to play in supportingwomen now and in the future. Independent retailers, farm shops and speciality food buyers are often the gateway for emerging brands. By actively seeking out diverse suppliers – includingwomen-led businesses - they can help broaden the range of voices and stories reaching consumers. Accessibility in buying processes can alsomake ameaningful difference. Open supplier days, clearer submission processes and mentoring initiatives can help demystifywhat can sometimes feel like a complex route into retail. Storytelling remains one of the speciality sector’s greatest strengths. The people behind the products are oftenwhatmake them trulymemorable.We found this at 26 “Support women in food, and the entire industry rises with them” As women’s voices grow louder within the food and drink sector, we look at the true value of the work they do The BuyWomen Built (BWB) campaign is raising not only awareness, but also cold, hard cash: a report by NielsenIQ found that the Buy Women Built mark doubles purchase intent. A BWB-themed aisle on Ocado had sales uplift of 20%, with some brands soaring over 100%. And at Whole Foods Market, a takeover by the campaign boosted sales 18% and unit growth 35%. D I D Y O U K N O W ? an empowering community event on StorytellingwithAuthenticity - one of themany in-person events we ran for InternationalWomen’s Day. By highlightingwomen producers through tastings, in- store displays, newsletters and events, retailers not only support individual businesses but also reflect the diversity that already existswithin the industry. Amore equitable food sector From an agricultural perspective, we don’t have enough female farmers, but those that I have met have aligned perfectly with the way the food industry is evolving – they are passionate about the health of the land they manage, prioritising sustainability, and the nutrition of the food they’re producing. This is why Citizens of Soil champions female growers and from starting out with a female- owned olive grove can now proudly say that 50% of the groves we work with are female-led. This isn’t a marketing tactic, and we do work with male farmers too, but quite often the produce from groves led by a woman is simply better. I know growers who care for their trees like children rather than a commodity – this undoubtedly produces a superior end product which supports our values of sustainability and premium quality. EXPERT VIEW “We don’t have enough female farmers” “I know growers who care for their trees like children rather than a commodity” SarahVachon, co-founder of Citizens of Soil “Women get strength by hearing other people’s stories, so by shouting about the positive we can create momentum. Chefs like Clare Smyth, Asma Khan, Sally Ab and Chantelle Nicholson are trailblazers, inspir- ingmore women to get into cheffing by creating positive environments where traditionally kitchens have been challenging spaces for women” Antonia Lloyd, series editor of Great BritishMenu since 2019, nowworking on the next series of Masterchef: The Professionals ultimately benefits everyone. Diversity brings fresh ideas and different perspectives on sustainability, provenance and culture - all values that sit at the heart of speciality food. Andwhenwomen are given the opportunity to thrive, and shown their importance in being themain buyers of food globally -women are the primary buyers and decision- makers for food globally, driving an estimated 70% to 80%of all consumer purchasing decisions [Capital One Shopping Research August 2025]. Itmakes business sense to havewomen in senior positions and in food industry board rooms. Then the entire industry gains something richer: a broader table,withmore relevant voices shapingwhat the future of food looks like. Supportwomen in food, and the entire industry riseswith them. ANTONIA LLOYD SARAH VACHON MECCA IBRAHIM