Canada is known for its thriving food scene, and some of the country’s most notable and loved restaurants, bakeries and cafés are run by women. In fact, many of our favourite places in Toronto for dining and takeout have women at their helm, including the George Street Diner, Cafe Neon and Fresh Kitchen, to name just a few.
In recognition of the abundant talent in this country — and just in time for International Women’s Day — Canada’s homegrown food delivery platform Skip has partnered with Women’s Executive Network (WXN) to launch a new award category: the SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award.
This innovative new award will recognize and celebrate standout women from a diverse range of career paths within the Canadian food landscape. From chefs and restaurateurs to franchisees, food retailers and other food entrepreneurs, all are welcome to submit a nomination.
Only 7 per cent of Canada’s food industry was made up of women-owned restaurants and enterprises in 2020.
Only 7 per cent of Canada’s food industry was made up of women-owned restaurants and enterprises in 2020.
ContributedThe origin story behind the new award
WXN (Women’s Executive Network) is a one-of-a-kind community shaping the future of leadership across North America. They bring together thousands of bold women, allies, and corporate members in a rich and diverse ecosystem of professional development, networking, thought leadership, belonging, and celebration that propels professional women to rise and lead. This includes the Canada’s Most Powerful: Top 100 Awards, the Canadian Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Summit and Awards, and the Master Coach Xcelerator Program.
As a new category of the WXN Canada’s Most Powerful: Top 100 Awards, the SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award offers a much-needed platform to recognize women across Canada’s food industry. While women are an integral part of this industry, one recent study noted a decline in women-owned businesses since 2018 — with women-owned restaurants and enterprises accounting for only 7 per cent (!) of Canada’s food industry in 2020.
This award is a response to that startling statistic, and it represents both Skip and WXN’s continued commitment to championing trailblazing women in leadership roles. It also serves as a challenge from Skip and WXN to other organizations to accelerate their goals of achieving gender parity.
Why recognition is a game changer
Despite the strides that women have made in the Canadian food industry, it’s never been an equal playing field: Women entrepreneurs, particularly in food, faced a disproportionate burden of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact.
Beyond that, funding and capital can be especially challenging for women entrepreneurs to access. Women often experience discrimination when attempting to access credit; women-owned businesses are among the least capitalized; and because women tend to own smaller businesses with fewer employees, they can find it more difficult to qualify for loans.
The SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award is a celebration of what the women have accomplished against these odds. Plus, representation matters, and showcasing stories of women who have made lemonade out of lemons (literally and figuratively!) and who are challenging the status quo is key to inspiring other women entrepreneurs to bet on themselves, too.
Nominations for the WXN SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award are open until May 14th.
Nominations for the WXN SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award are open until May 14th.
ContributedHow you can nominate someone (or yourself!)
From now until May 14, you can submit a nomination for the SkipTheDishes Food Industry Award at wxnetwork.com/page/Top100AwardNominations.
Contenders will be judged on their career accomplishments, strategic vision and leadership, their influence and impact on their community, and their proven ability to act as a changemaker and role model in the Canadian food industry. This list of criteria aims to encourage a wide-ranging, diverse group of women nominees — a true reflection of what makes Canada’s food scene great.
We can’t think of a better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than by nominating a standout woman in the Canadian food industry – whether it’s you or someone you know. While the act of submitting a nomination may seem small, it’s a simple gesture that can help build a better, more gender-equitable future.
Applications are now open through the WXN Awards portal. For more information, visit wxnetwork.com/page/Top100AwardNominations.
This content was created by The Kit; SkipTheDishes funded and approved it.
