13 Nov Essex entrepreneur announced as finalist at the 2019 NatWest everywoman Awards
Amy Louise Moring, Co-founder of Hunter & Gather Foods from Essex has been announced as a finalist at the 2019 NatWest everywoman Awards.
Amy is shortlisted in the Brand of the Future category, sponsored by The White Company, and awarded to the female founder of a business which demonstrates great potential for growth.
Amy was diagnosed with coeliac disease more than 25 years ago, and found it constantly undermined her ability to live and eat freely as there were few tasty alternatives to foods that she was unable to eat. Together with her husband, Amy realised that a clean approach to eating, free from sugars, grains and harmful fats completely transformed their lives and improved their long-term health conditions. Amy quickly realised that there were two food categories that didn’t offer clean and healthy alternatives – condiments and oils – and from here Hunter & Gather Foods was born.
Amy’s passion for nutrition has driven her to rise above expectations and she has tirelessly promoted and prioritised the growth of Hunter & Gather Foods, enabling the company to expand rapidly. Products are available in Wholefoods, Ocado, Selfridges and Daylesford, with big ambitions to expand internationally across Europe and the UAE.
Now in their 17th year, the NatWest everywoman Awards celebrate female entrepreneurs from all walks of life providing a platform for them to share their achievements. From the founders of international multi-million-pound empires to those spearheading social enterprises for the greater good, this year’s finalists are the role models whose success will inspire future generations of female entrepreneurs. Spanning diverse industries – fashion, jewellery, hospitality, skincare, food, and social care – the 2019 finalists were chosen by a judging panel comprising some of the UK’s top business figures, including Helen Pattinson (Montezuma’s), Julie Deane OBE (Cambridge Satchel Company), Sarah Wood (Unruly), Poonam Gupta OBE (PG Paper Company), fashion designer, Melissa Odabash, Harriet Hastings (Biscuiteers), Sam Smith (FinnCap) and Rowan Finnegan (Regenerative Investment).
Overall, only one in three UK entrepreneurs is female, a gender gap equivalent of 1.1 million missing businesses. This is despite the potential for £250 billion of new value to be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men. Even if the UK were to achieve the same average share of women entrepreneurs as best-in-class peer countries, this would still add as much as £200 billion.
The Alison Rose Review identified the three biggest opportunities to help female entrepreneurs, which included “…relatable and accessible mentors and networks”. Since 2003 the NatWest everywoman Awards has been providing exactly this, by building a community of the UK’s leading female business owners and connecting them with peers, advisors and investors. The work that the awards do could not be more important at this time.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 3 December 2019 at Grosvenor House, London. Further awards will include the Spirit of everywoman Award presented to a woman who has helped change the landscape for businesswomen in the UK; the everywoman Ambassador Award celebrating the success of a high-profile entrepreneur; and the brand new Fortuna Award recognising an individual who is investing in women-run enterprises.
