Ideas, ambitions and dreams are important. Continuing our series on magnificent women who work behind the scenes to drive the evolution of our New Zealand food-and-drink culture, meet five inspiring individuals each with a very different career path and skill set who are all equally impressive. We encourage women working within our diverse food-and-drink landscape to join us at wifd.co.nz. Together our voice will be stronger.

GRACE SUGIANDI
Events management / Community building

You might think that Grace’s job as Event Services Manager at the Auckland Convention Bureau – a division of the region’s economic and cultural agency Tātaki Auckland Unlimited – was about finding suitable venues, organising logistics and selling the benefits of the city as a destination for major conferences and events. Well, it is, but more than that it’s about connecting people. That’s what lures business events to Auckland, attracting more people to experience the region’s incredible eateries, bars and food hubs, bringing a fantastic energy and buzz to the city, significantly boosting the regional economy and so creating a vibrant marketplace that’s a win-win for everyone. “I’m passionate about promoting Auckland’s culinary scene, especially its up-and-coming talent and new eateries and bars. By connecting international clients with our innovative chefs and showcasing unique food experiences, we provide a crucial platform for these rising stars to shine,” she says. After a decade working in hospitality in Dubai, Thailand and Singapore, Grace has thrown herself into Auckland’s hospitality landscape, where her day-to-day work allows her to leverage her knowledge of the city’s hidden gems and culinary trends. From showcasing the city as a whole – such as a collaboration with SkyCity’s Sucré team to create the biggest edible art installation at Meetings 2024, Aotearoa’s only national trade show for the business events industry – to supporting individual communities in projects such as raising funds to help save Kelmarna Community Farm in Ponsonby, Grace’s role pivots around fostering collaboration and community spirit. aucklandnz.com

FRAN BAILEY
PR / Agriculture / Community building

There are a great number of women in PR and events throughout New Zealand, but few who really get their hands dirty – literally. Soil is Fran’s medium, and she’s the founder of Waikato-based collective the Soil Sisters, a group of women in food and farming built around soil, compost, food, flowers, fibre and friendship. As a PR and events consultant, Fran connects people concerned with soil, food and farming, sharing the stories of food producers and farmers passionate about soil life and regeneration. In addition to Soil Sisters she also coordinates the communications for two farming organisations – Safer Farms and Quorum Sense. “What I love most is meeting farmers and hearing their stories. I felt like farmers were really misunderstood. So I made it my mission to tell their stories to the wider community and support the work they’re trying to do to make sure farming has a resilient, thriving future.” Though sometimes painted as the villains of the climate-change story, Fran believes that farmers are our future and have the potential to be our real climate heroes as guardians of our soil and producers of highly nutrient-dense food. “We need farmers in order to have healthy food, healthy people and a healthy planet,” she says. “There are a lot of positive stories in farming and the more we get them out there, the more hopeful we can become that we can turn things around when it comes to climate and environment.” franbaileypr.com

LORETTA CRAWFORD
Marketing / Tourism / Stakeholder management

More than 5,000 people thronged the Flavours of Plenty Festival in 2023, though few will have noticed the behind-the-scenes work of Loretta Crawford that made it all come together as New Zealand’s newest food festival. But her advocacy at board level, report writing, strategy setting and managing and supporting the skilled group of people who bring the region’s story to life, was recognised when the Flavours of Plenty Festival won the Best Lifestyle Event of the year at the New Zealand Events Association awards. “Accepting that award felt like an incredible accolade for our team, but it also helped to acknowledge every chef, producer, artisan and grower who has been part of this exciting Flavours of Plenty journey. Locals and travellers are becoming more exploratory and discerning about their dining experiences and more curious about where their food has originated. We knew we had a great food story to tell. We’re a food-producing region with a long-held tradition of growing and sharing great kai. We wanted to develop initiatives that would get that story out into the world to not only attract visitors, but to also support our food-and-beverage producers and local hospitality sector.” Loretta also directs Tourism Bay of Plenty’s consumer-facing travel brand, Bay of Plenty NZ. flavoursofplentyfestival.com

RACHAEL BROWN
Hospitality / Marketing / Luxury travel

Launching a top-class restaurant within Auckland’s only internationally rated five-star hotel is quite a feat in anybody’s book, but Rachael Brown has helped usher in four such venues at the Park Hyatt hotel on Auckland’s enviable waterfront. Making people feel good is in her bones following eight fruitful years as the Marketing and Commercial Manager for luxury hair treatments brand Kèrastase– L’Oréal to her current role creating memorable moments for guests in the luxury hotel industry as Director of Sales & Marketing at Park Hyatt Auckland. It’s a brand she holds dear as her journey in hospitality began at the Hyatt Regency Auckland, where she earned her stripes by breathing new life into the hotel’s dining scene after a major renovation. Boundless enthusiasm for hospitality drives Rachael to promote the hotel to both guests and locals alike: “I find great fulfilment in regularly connecting with fascinating individuals from around the world. Engaging with my international clients has not only broadened my understanding but also forged meaningful friendships.” Recently three years of hard work paid off with the inaugural Park Hyatt Christmas Market, a project she personally curated, designed and spearheaded. hyatt.com

LIZ WHEADON
Wine education / Retail

As a student of Hospitality Management, Liz Wheadon spent so much time in the local Glengarry store that one day the manager said, “We should pay you for being here”. That was almost 30 years ago. Starting as a sales assistant, the last three decades have steered her through the ranks of the company to her current position as General Manager, but Liz has never lost her love of retail. “I love finding new wines and introducing them to others. I host a lot of our customer tastings and also our staff education. Teaching others a love of wine is super fun.” This love for retail sales drove her to get involved with Retail NZ – an industry-based organisation that leads advocacy for the sector – of which she is now the chair of the board. In this role she’s involved in creating pathways for young people into retail, showing them what a valuable and rewarding career it can be. As if that didn’t fill her days, Liz also relishes judging, both at wine events – many New Zealand competitions, the London International Wine Challenge and the Japanese Wine Challenge in Tokyo – and in individual and group gymnastics in which she has coached two rhythmic gymnastics teams to the World Championships. glengarrywines.co.nz

Are you driving a project for change or do you want to shine a light on inspiring women who work within our diverse food-and-drink landscape? Are you interested in joining and building a community to connect all women in food and drink across the country? Head to wifd.co.nz and become a member of a group that will help us to network, educate and support each other as we share ideas and knowledge.