INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2022 - Q&A
Happy International Women’s Day everyone!
The Visionary Food Solutions team are proud to be celebrating women in the Food and Drink industry by bringing you insights from some of the inspirational women founders we work with! With this Q&A we hope to inspire any women out there who are passionate about food and give them the confidence to dream big and follow your passions wherever they may take you!
Meet Hetty Buchner, Founder of Beatbites
Hetty started the Beatbites journey at home back in 2018, making delicious healthy snacks for her family to enjoy… always dreaming big Hetty began to dream of it becoming an official product to share with everyone! Having a passion for cooking and loving to create in the kitchen and in search for a healthy on the go energy boost, Beatbites was born!
Where did you get the inspiration for your business?
I think seeing other female founders is always inspiring. Knowing that I had created something that tasted amazing but didn’t have loads of added ingredients also made me feel proud and gave me the nudge to do more!
Do you think the industry could do more to support and/or encourage women to start careers in Food & Drink?
Personally, I think so yes. Things are changing all the time and there are many more female founders out there now which is amazing to see and inspirational. I think more encouragement in education for girls and women is needed. This is still a very new adventure for myself but you’ve got to give things a go otherwise you will never know! :)
What is the toughest you had to learn?
At this stage in my Food & Drink journey I am still very new. There is always learning and growing to do. Making mistakes, overcoming what others think and comparing are all things I am working on. However, my toughest would be building my confidence and believing in myself more than I do.
Meet Carole Armitage, Founder of 80 Noir Ultra
If you have never heard of 80Noir Ultra, then you are in for a real treat! Carole has uses premium quality, dark chocolate for a rich chocolatey taste! You may be thinking dark chocolate can be a bit of a bitter taste … well not anymore! 80 Noir have solved this problem and not only that, provided your perfect daily dose so you have enough to feel satisfied, satiated and reap the maximum amount of mind & body benefits from this humble bean. Leaving you only feeling happy, content, boosted and balanced.
Where did you get the inspiration for your business?
When I was 8, I was in hospital a lot and found out I had low blood sugar levels which when stressed, I would faint and collapse, so hot chocolate was my go to source and my ‘medicine’ from then on, it has been a life long journey to understand, research and develop the best hot chocolate out there that is tastes amazing but is great for our mental health and wellbeing and how 80Noir Ultra came about.
Do you think the industry could do more to support and/or encourage women to start careers in Food and Drink?
I think setting up a business in general is just hard work, but I do think if you ask, the answers are out there. I think it would be great to have a little more guidance as you don’t know what you don’t know which is the first stumbling block, but I do think there is a lot of support if you ask for it.
What is the toughest lesson you had to learn?
It’s a shift in mindset, if you want to set up your own business and take it on, it can be a very lonely path to walk and there will be times when you want to just give up and pull the duvet over your head, that’s when you need to dig deep and go through it as it will get better.
Meet Nirali Mankodi, Co-Founder of Superfoodio
Superfoodio was inspired by a backpacking adventure around South America. Living with the local communities, they unearthed some of the world’s most nutritious foods. These foods were able to unlock the energy for many of the explorations that they had. From trekking through the jungles of the Amazon to conquering the Inca Trail in Peru. Upon returning home Nirali and Jag applied their newfound passion and knowledge in the kitchen to create Superfoodio’s product range the rest is history, with an abundant store of delicious and nutritious treats to unlock your potential!
Where did you get the inspiration for your business?
Superfoodio was inspired by a back-packing adventure around South America that led to a mission-driven business. During our travels we immersed ourselves with the local communities and learnt how to live off the earth in a sustainable way. We experienced a life so different to the corporate careers we had back at home. In S.America we helped farmers with quinoa and potato farming and really experienced the simple nature of tasty foods.
These experiences formed the basis of Superfoodio and our plant-based product range, all made with simple and natural ingredients.
Do you think the industry could do more to support and/or encourage women to start careers in Food and Drink?
I think female role models and mentors in the industry would be a great way to support and encourage women to start careers in Food and Drink. As an industry we can also focus on closing the funding gap for female entrepreneurs and minority groups.
What is the toughest lesson you had to learn?
Building resilience is the toughest lesson I've had to learn. Owning your own business can feel like a rollercoaster ride with so many ups and downs. This is not only within the business but also personally as I became a new mum at the same time as going through a rapid growth phase in the business. Over time I've learnt to celebrate the wins but am also ready for the next challenge that the business presents.
Shine a light on any females that are making a difference in the food and drink industry! Who is making a real difference