What’s it like, working in the food industry in 2024?
That’s what we asked a number of women entrepreneurs we’ve featured in our 1,000 Stories Project – and we weren’t surprised to hear that the Covid-19 pandemic certainly made a lasting impact on all things food and beverage. And while the female founders all reported challenges and adjustments, there was also this bit of good news: The majority say 2024 has been their best year in business to date.
The seven entrepreneurs we spoke to live across the country and work in a variety of different foodie fields. From chefs, to bakers, tea brewers, functional beverage masters, snack box subscription designers, and jam makers – these are the trends our women in food have observed so far in 2024.
Food is more expensive.
When you’re a baker, the price of eggs matters. Take Pamela Jablonski of Pamela’s Brownies, who can illustrate perfectly how drastically food costs have gone up in one singular stat: A 60-count box of eggs, “has gone up this year from $6.98 a box to $18.98 per box.”
When food costs triple like that, consumers almost always feel it. That makes it tougher to do business, even though “consumers see and feel the price changes at the grocery stores [so] it is much easier to explain pricing and costs,” says Cassi Gregory, a Houston, Texas-based caterer. Lauren Glenn, founder of Delightfully Hot, a maker of hot sauce-making kits, has found that consumers are “choosing to be more mindful with how they spend their dollars, which as a consumer myself, I think is smart,” but, “as a business owner it creates a steeper mountain to climb to acquire new customers.”
Stacy Malinow, who operates the celiac-friendly bakery, Bliss Pastries, is worried about how rising food costs will affect her customer’s ability to purchase safe-to-eat food, “especially gluten-free foods which tend to already be more expensive.” Her strategy to attempt to keep prices reasonable? “Greater time needs to be spent on sourcing ingredients and finding new suppliers.”
But consumers are willing to pay for healthy and nutritious food and drink.
Malinow told us, “Customers are more aware of the ingredients in their foods…and are willing to pay for quality products from trustworthy companies.” Christy Venter of HealthyMe Living, a monthly snack subscription box, says she’s seen an increase in functional snacks. “You can now get a regular protein bar but with added benefits,” like adaptogens, superfoods and extra protein, she says. At her bakery, Jablonski has also noticed greater demand “for more protein in everything…I developed a protein brownie in response to this demand and it is already selling quite well.”
On the beverage side of things, Orleatha Smith, founder of Sip Herbals, a line of caffeine-free prebiotic teas, has seen similar trends, “People are more health-conscious and focused on wellness than ever before,” she says. Rosa Li of Wildwonder, a maker of sparkling probiotic beverages, agrees. “People are looking for drinks that support their overall well-being, and gut health remains a significant focus.”
And for many, business is growing.
Li told us that her beverage business has doubled this year, which she attributes to her “growing customer base” who are concerned about health, and an expanding retail partnership she’s landed with Costco.
Gregory, the caterer in Houston, told us that her retail products, “are seeing an increase in sales and partnerships – that is truly shocking” as she has “struggled in the services side of things.” Glenn found the same with her hot sauce kits. “Wholesale opportunities this year have been better than any prior year for us,” she says. “I’m a firm believer that when one door closes, another will open.” Venter says her snackboxes have done well this year, too. “It has actually been the biggest year of growth since I started this many (eight) years ago.”
But it’s hard to maintain quality while scaling up.
For Smith, who had a chance to pitch her Sip Herbals teas on Shark Tank this May and has seen an uptick since, “scaling production while maintaining sustainability has been a major challenge,” she says. “Balancing the need to scale quickly while ensuring our commitment to sourcing high-quality, organic ingredients remains intact has required careful planning and strategy.” Meanwhile, at her bakery, Malinow has hired a contract packer or “co-packer” to help with day-to-day manufacturing and packaging, although she’s found that “working with a co-packer created other tasks and obstacles for me to handle first before I could put most of my efforts into sales and marketing.”
And there are definitely some industry trends these women would like to leave behind in 2024.
Venter told us she would be happy to say goodbye to deceptive marketing trends, explaining, “it’s hard for consumers to be able to understand the nutrition labels…and the catchy marketing techniques.” Smith agreed, “I’d be happy to see the end of…buzzword ingredients.” Malinow pointed out how some food labels utilizing catch phrases to attract customers can actually have serious consequences, especially for those with allergies. “Some companies have now begun to use the term ‘gluten-friendly’ which confuses customers.”
Ultimately, the pandemic changed the industry.
Julie Deck, founder of California-based jam-maker CooMoo Jams, says the Covid-19 pandemic “irrevocably” changed the food industry. “So many smaller production commercial kitchens just didn’t survive,” she says – including the kitchen that had produced her jam, forcing her to scramble to find another one. “It has been a huge adjustment.”
Other founders used similar terms to describe the pandemic’s impact, with Li saying it “irrevocably” changed the beverage industry and Malinow saying that pandemic-related inflation “irreparably changed” the food industry. Smith of Sip Herbals also noted that the pandemic “permanently shifted” consumer behavior, with online shopping becoming “a dominant purchasing method.”
But overall, these women are still happy to be working in food in 2024.
Many founders told us that being a woman in the food and beverage industries in 2024 feels both challenging and empowering. “There are still hurdles when accessing funding and resources, especially as a minority-owned brand,” says Li, the Wildwonder beverage maker, “but there’s also a strong sense of camaraderie and support among female founders.”
Jam-maker Deck shared, “I love being a woman in the food industry. This is not an easy industry to be in…but I am driven by my love for my product.”
Malinow, meanwhile, similarly feels driven by the impact her product has on her customers. “I recently had a mother order a cookie pie for the birthday of her twin sons, one of whom was diagnosed with celiac disease,” she says. The mom reported that it was the first time her sons and their friends were able to share and enjoy a dessert. “It’s incredibly heartwarming and fulfilling.” ◼
