PLATFORM DEDICATED TO WOMEN IN FOOD
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FOOD XX was founded in 2018 by Studio H, a women-led business in food. It is a movement dedicated to empowering and celebrating women in the food and drinks industry, a safe space to build networks, celebrate and support one another, and have much-needed conversations to find collective solutions.

Women, who make up half of the world’s population, have the collective power to affect stock markets, policies, corporate and creative industries, their own lives, and the lives of the network of women around them.

The platform consists of:

Biennial Awards for Women in Food and Drink in Africa
City Guides – a comprehensive database of women-owned and women-led food businesses
FOOD XX Week

How does the FOOD XX Awards work?
‍Applications are open to the public to nominate women in the food industry via an online nominations form. Once nominations are closed, the finalists are judged by a panel consisting of the previous year’s winners, a group of women, who are tasked with the difficult decision of selecting someone in each category to pass the baton of FOOD XX winner to.

Who are the finalists?
‍Category finalists are being announced on the @fxxd_xx Instagram account.

When will the 2024 winners be announced?
‍The winners will be announced at a ceremony on the 28th of August at Soetmelksvlei, Babylonstoren and also live on our Instagram pages @fxxd_xx and @studio_h_.

The letter ‘X’ - is a single chromosome that defines our differences, not just biologically but our history and experience too. ‘XX’ is more than a nod to the modern feminist movement. It’s an expression of warmth between female friends, colleagues and even female strangers. It identifies a new type of leader, the female leader, who leads with a nurturing, supportive and loving nature. In contrast to this, the ‘X’ also represents taking a stand: voting, saying no, making your mark. It’s a visual symbol for interception, a meeting place, a convergence of cultures, languages and ideas to form something new. Our ‘XX’ illustrates two entities: the mentor and mentee, friends, sisters, women standing together – hands held in triumph.

A global guide featuring women-owned and women-led food and drinks businesses, nominated by our community and curated by us. Be a change-maker and help us build the world’s largest database of femme businesses.

submit entries here

BAKER

For all the real bread bakers, pastrychefs and pioneering cake makers

BEHIND THE SCENES

To the unsung pioneers and formidable forces/talents behind some of South Africa’s much-loved food and drink brands

Drinks Entrepreneur

All the shakers and stirrers, winemakers, brewers and spirit creators raising our glasses or the alcohol-free fermenters and soda makers.

Entrepreneur

From agri-preneurs to restaurateurs, this award pays tribute to the passionate and innovative pioneers who are redefining food in the way we grow it, make it, sell it and eat it.

Farming

From food growing to urban gardening.

Food Educator

For the teachers and mentors dedicated to sharing knowledge and encouraging future innovators.

Food Heritage

For the guardians of our rich food culture.

Food Icon

Food is sustenance, food is health, food is culture. This award honours the custodians of all that is food.

KRONE Front of House

Sommeliers, managers, waiters, maître d’s.

SPEKKO Food Photographer

For the creatives framing our food worlds through their lenses.

SPEKKO Food Stylist

This is for the visionaries shaping how we look at food.

Food Writer

Celebrating the bloggers, Instagrammers, journalists and authors we turn to when we’re hungry for food stories.
FUTURE FOOD
The solution-driven visionaries challenging our approach to food in a quest to create a sustainable food future.