--- title: "Industry Voices with Laura Ryan: connecting people to drive change" description: In the latest edition of ‘Industry Voices,’ we sit down with Laura Ryan, the Global Chair and Founder of Meat Business Women, CEO at Lavenpark Consulting. image: https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B%26W.jpg --- [CAREERS](https://www-dev.foodsconnected.com/careers/) [REGISTER](https://app.foodsconnected.com/Register.aspx) [YOUR ACCOUNT](https://app.foodsconnected.com/idsrv/login?ReturnUrl=%2Fidsrv%2Fconnect%2Fauthorize%3Fredirect_uri%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fapp.foodsconnected.com%252FLoginRedirect.aspx%26client_id%3Dcore%26response_type%3Dcode%26scope%3Dcore%2520connected_api%2520offline_access%2520analytics_manager%26code_challenge_method%3DS256%26code_challenge%3Dy6zXsYnI20T4Zzc_s7HmDAt7OlhL2zujgcEkoUtd7sA%26state%3Dwomypx52%26prompt%3D) [![fc-logo](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Support%20site/fc-logo.svg "fc-logo")](http://foodsconnected.com) - [Our Solutions](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/) - [Food Compliance Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/compliance-management-software/) - [Safety Audits & Quality Management](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/safety-and-quality-management-software/) - [Food Procurement Management Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/procurement-supply-chain/) - [Food Specifications & NPD](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/specifications-and-npd-software/) - [CSR & Supply Chain Sustainability](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/csr-management-software/) - [Food Traceability Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-traceability-software/) - [Reporting & Analytics](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-software-reporting-tool/) - [HACCP Management Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/haccp-software/) - [Meat Processing Software Solution](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/meat-processing-software/) - [Our Services](https://www.foodsconnected.com/our-services/) - [Sectors](https://www.foodsconnected.com/sectors/) - [About Us](https://www.foodsconnected.com/about-us/) - [Blog](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/?_gl=1*8p51p6*_gcl_au*NTI1NDc4NjczLjE3MzM3ODU3ODc.*_ga*MjE3OTA1Njg4LjE3MzM3ODU3ODU.*_ga_X4TZRQCH9W*MTczNjk0MTQ5NC45LjEuMTczNjk0MjY3NC41MS4wLjA.) - [Resources](https://www.foodsconnected.com/resources/) - [Support](https://support.foodsconnected.com/support/home?_gl=1*hrp5ae*_gcl_au*NTI1NDc4NjczLjE3MzM3ODU3ODc.*_ga*MjE3OTA1Njg4LjE3MzM3ODU3ODU.*_ga_X4TZRQCH9W*MTczNjk0MTQ5NC45LjEuMTczNjk0MjY4OC4zNy4wLjA.) [Request a Demo](https://www.foodsconnected.com/request-a-demo) ![Industry Voices with Laura Ryan: connecting people to drive meaningful change](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B%26W.jpg) [Expert Insights](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/expert-insights) [Industry Voices](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-voices) [Meat, Fish & Poultry](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/meat-fish-poultry) # Industry Voices with Laura Ryan: connecting people to drive meaningful change By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) 10/03/2025 [Back](https://blog.foodsconnected.com) Industry Voices with Laura Ryan: connecting people to drive meaningful change Share [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan%20&body=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan&media=https://4895550.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4895550/Blog%20Imagery%20%28PI%20AUTOMATED%29/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B&W.jpg](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan%20&body=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan&media=https://4895550.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4895550/Blog%20Imagery%20%28PI%20AUTOMATED%29/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B&W.jpg) [Back to main blog](https://blog.foodsconnected.com) Share [mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan%20&body=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan&media=https://4895550.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4895550/Blog%20Imagery%20%28PI%20AUTOMATED%29/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B&W.jpg](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan%20&body=Check%20out%20https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan&media=https://4895550.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4895550/Blog%20Imagery%20%28PI%20AUTOMATED%29/Blog%20Headers/Headshot%20B&W.jpg) In the latest edition of ‘Industry Voices,’ we sit down with [Laura Ryan](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauravryan), the Global Chair and Founder of [Meat Business Women](https://www.meatbusinesswomen.org/), CEO at [Lavenpark Consulting](https://lavenpark.co.uk/) and executive coach. With a dynamic career spanning over 25 years in the meat industry, Laura shares her journey, insights on diversity in the sector, key industry challenges, and the future of food business leadership.  ## A career in the Meat Industry: an accidental but passionate journey  Laura Ryan’s journey into the meat industry wasn’t planned. “I fell into the sector by total accident 25 years ago,” she shares. “I got a graduate job working for a small catering butcher, marketing meat. I thought marketing meat, that’ll be easy. Little did I know. Anyway, I got the bug, and 25 years later, I’m still here and absolutely love it.” Today, she is at the forefront of industry transformation, leading Meat Business Women and running her consultancy, Lavenpark, which provides B2B insights for the food sector.  Laura’s experience also spans a 10-year tenure at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board), where she served in her final role as Director of the Beef and Lamb Board. Here she learned firsthand the challenges of navigating diverse industry stakeholders and the importance of building relationships along the supply chain to create sector-wide strategies. Her key takeaway? > “You can’t keep everyone happy all the time. With a huge array of stakeholders along a supply chain, it’s really tough. So, I learned what you needed to do was to build relationships along that supply chain and co-create solutions.”  ## The evolution of Meat Business Women: from small gathering to global impact  Laura founded Meat Business Women in 2015 when she noticed a lack of women’s networking events in the industry. “I was getting more senior in my career and when attending some of these industry events, I was looking around the room, realising I was one of only a handful of women.”  What started as a small gathering in London has since grown into a UN-recognised global movement with partnerships spanning the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Major players such as Tesco, Morrisons, and Hilton Food Group are actively engaged in its mission to drive diversity and inclusion.  The growth has been phenomenal, “if you told me then, as it started as a side of your desk project, this is what it's going to grow to, I'd have said, you're all right, thanks! I've got enough on. But now it's been the best thing that I've ever done. It's allowed me to have a portfolio career, but more importantly than that, it's given me connectivity to folks right across the world working within our industry. I get to understand what their challenges are, what their opportunities are and why they work in our sector, which is hugely rewarding.”  An example of this connectivity in action is the launch of Meat Business Women’s **[Food Business Charter](https://www.meatbusinesswomen.org/what-we-do/sign-the-food-business-charter.html)** in March. “This came about as we brought CEOs together last year and asked, ‘What are the three things that we can do to help shift the dial?’” The industry-wide initiative aims to increase female representation to 40% by 2035 through goal setting, accountability, and actionable strategies for organisations.  ## Diversity in the Meat Industry: progress and challenges  While progress has been made, there is still work to do. “What I’ve seen change for women in the industry is that there are more of us at a middle level. But the number of women in the meat industry has actually gone backwards—from 36% in 2020 to 33.5% today,” Laura highlights. However, representation at middle and senior management levels is increasing.  In Laura’s experience, the most successful businesses focus on three key areas to foster diversity and retention:  **1. Company Culture** – “Developing a really strong business culture that works for your organisation.”  **2. Data Benchmarking** – “Knowing how many people you’ve got in each segment, tracking gender representation, and understanding why people are leaving.”  **3. Flexibility** – “Not just for women. Yes, women over-index in terms of caring responsibilities, but men as well feel pressure in that respect. Businesses that offer flexibility can retain great people.”  ## Industry challenges: five key concerns keeping leaders awake at night  From her consultancy work and engagement with senior leaders across the industry, Laura has pinpointed five major challenges currently impacting the meat sector and wider agri-food industry:  1. **Consumer confidence and cost of living** – “The cost-of-living crisis continues, and disposable income for consumers is a huge challenge.”  2. **Supply chain inflation** – “The national insurance rise and other input costs are increasing for a sector that’s labor heavy.”  3. **Availability of resources** – “AHDB just published their cattle forecast numbers for this year, and they’re projected to be 5% down. That cost is going into the supply chain and isn’t always being passed on to the consumer.”  4. **Sustainability pressures** – “Sustainability challenges won’t go away. The pressures on beef, poultry, and pig meat are different, and businesses need to tell their sustainability story effectively.”  5. **Labour shortages** – “Attracting and retaining great people is critical, but visas, Brexit, and the perception of our industry add to the challenge.”  ## Opportunities: collaboration and community  Despite the challenges facing the food and meat sectors, Laura sees great opportunities in industry-wide collaboration. > “The huge opportunity in my eyes is to play together more. Suppliers can have challenging relationships with their competitors, but there are some pre-competitive places to play, like labor and sustainability.”   The industry also offers a great opportunity for building a career. For those looking to enter the food and drink industry, Laura’s advice is simple yet powerful: **build a personal board**. “Get a few good people around you that can challenge you, give you advice, and keep you honest. That doesn’t come quickly, but over time, you’ll have people you can lean on when making tough decisions.”  Watch the full interview with Laura below:  ## About Laura Ryan *Laura is a globally recognised expert in building networks and driving transformational change across the agri-food sector. Until 2019, she was Director of the Beef & Lamb Board at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). In 2023, she was named in The Grocer’s Power List for her influence in the industry.* *Through her consultancy, Lavenpark, Laura empowers businesses to achieve greater success by enhancing industry insight, connectivity, business development, marketing, and communications. She also delivers executive coaching, equipping leaders with the strategies to navigate change and maximise their impact.* *Laura is the founder and Global Chair of Meat Business Women, the global professional network for women in the meat industry, which is recognised by the United Nations as a solution to the global Sustainable Development Goals.* If you'd like to discover more interviews in our Industry Voices series, you can [read them here.](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-voices)   ![Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Headshots/Greer%20(NEW%20Headshot).jpg) ###### Greer McNally Greer has over 15 years’ experience writing about trends in the food and retail sectors. She lives in a little village by the sea in Northern Ireland and loves creating content that informs how people think about the food industry. A recent career highlight was interviewing the legend that is Dr Temple Grandin. [![Free AI report download](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Free%20AI%20report%20download.png "Free AI report download")](https://marketing.foodsconnected.com/ai-agri-food-attitudes-adoption-ambitions-foods-connected) ##### Stay up to date ### Stay up to date ##### Browse Posts Popular Recent Archive [![NPD in the food industry: 7 critical stages of new product development](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_1927957907%20(1).jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/7-stages-of-food-product-development) [NPD in the food industry: 7 critical stages of new product development](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/7-stages-of-food-product-development) [![The importance of good manufacturing practice for food safety](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_2474442759.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/gmp-in-food-industry) [The importance of good manufacturing practice for food safety](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/gmp-in-food-industry) [![Understanding the role of risk management in food safety](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_1845178195%20(2).jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-role-of-risk-management-in-food-safety) [Understanding the role of risk management in food safety](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-role-of-risk-management-in-food-safety) [![A guide to effective quality control in food manufacturing](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_2133827717%20(1).jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/quality-control-in-food-manufacturing) [A guide to effective quality control in food manufacturing](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/quality-control-in-food-manufacturing) [![The Best Food Allergy Apps and How They Work](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_2247276303.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-best-food-allergy-apps-and-how-they-work) [The Best Food Allergy Apps and How They Work](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-best-food-allergy-apps-and-how-they-work) [![Five consumer food apps reshaping retail reporting and analytics](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/five-consumer-food-apps-reshaping-retail-reporting-and-analytics-blog-hero.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/five-consumer-food-apps-reshaping-retail-reporting-and-analytics) [Five consumer food apps reshaping retail reporting and analytics](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/five-consumer-food-apps-reshaping-retail-reporting-and-analytics) [![The Real Cost of Poor Data Visibility in Protein Procurement](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Why%20Protein%20Procurement%20Needs%20Real-Time%20Data%20Visibility%20blog%20hero%20image.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-real-cost-of-poor-data-visibility-in-protein-procurement) [The Real Cost of Poor Data Visibility in Protein Procurement](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/the-real-cost-of-poor-data-visibility-in-protein-procurement) [![AI in food supply chains: why visibility is where it's paying off](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/brcgs%20audit%20overlap%20shutterstock_2742316531.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/blog/ai-in-food-supply-chains) [AI in food supply chains: why visibility is where it's paying off](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/blog/ai-in-food-supply-chains) [![Building Food Supply Chain Resilience: A Guide for Procurement Teams](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/supply-chain-resilience-food-procurement-guide-hero-image.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/supply-chain-resilience-food-procurement-guide) [Building Food Supply Chain Resilience: A Guide for Procurement Teams](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/supply-chain-resilience-food-procurement-guide) [![Foods Connected Acquires HarvestMark Quality Insights Platform](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/FOODS%20CONNECTED%20AQUISTION%20-%20DESIGN%20ASSETS%20-%20AUGUST%202026.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/resources/foods-connected-acquires-harvestmark) [Foods Connected Acquires HarvestMark Quality Insights Platform](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/resources/foods-connected-acquires-harvestmark) - [September 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/09) - [August 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/08) - [July 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/07) - [June 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/06) - [May 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/05) - [April 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/04) - [March 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/03) - [February 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/02) - [January 2026](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2026/01) - [December 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/12) - [November 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/11) - [October 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/10) - [September 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/09) - [August 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/08) - [July 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/07) - [June 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/06) - [May 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/05) - [April 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/04) - [March 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/03) - [February 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/02) - [January 2025](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2025/01) - [December 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/12) - [November 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/11) - [October 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/10) - [September 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/09) - [August 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/08) - [July 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/07) - [June 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/06) - [May 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/05) - [April 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/04) - [March 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/03) - [February 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/02) - [January 2024](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2024/01) - [December 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/12) - [November 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/11) - [October 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/10) - [September 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/09) - [August 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/08) - [July 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/07) - [June 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/06) - [May 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/05) - [April 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/04) - [March 2023](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2023/03) - [December 2022](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2022/12) - [November 2022](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2022/11) - [October 2022](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/archive/2022/10) Sidebar ### Related Posts [![Preparing for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): everything you need to know](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/Preparing%20for%20the%20EU%20Deforestation%20Regulation%20(EUDR)everything%20you%20need%20to%20knowjpg.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/preparing-for-the-eu-deforestation-regulation) 5 min read [Traceability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/traceability) [EUDR](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/eudr) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) ##### [Preparing for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR): everything you need to know](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/preparing-for-the-eu-deforestation-regulation) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 05/03/2024 A decade in the making, the new EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is designed to curb global deforestation, and... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/preparing-for-the-eu-deforestation-regulation) [![Industry Voices with Helen Clarke-Ferridge](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/BLOG%20HEADERS%20-%20Correct%20Size%20(34).png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-helen-clarke-ferridge) 6 min read [Animal Welfare](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/animal-welfare) [Industry Voices](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-voices) ##### [Industry Voices with Helen Clarke-Ferridge](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-helen-clarke-ferridge) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 09/10/2024 In the next in our Industry Voices interview series, we sit down with the Assurance and Governance Manager at Sofina... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-helen-clarke-ferridge) [![The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD): what it is and how to prepare for it](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_2498984931.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/csddd-regulation-what-it-is-and-how-to-prepare) 8 min read [Sustainability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/sustainability) [Traceability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/traceability) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) ##### [The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD): what it is and how to prepare for it](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/csddd-regulation-what-it-is-and-how-to-prepare) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 26/11/2024 With less than three years until the first deadline for CSDDD, the EU’s latest environmental directive, we run down... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/csddd-regulation-what-it-is-and-how-to-prepare) [![UK government quizzes supermarkets on food price inflation: 5 fast facts](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Screenshot%202023-06-27%20133847.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/5-fast-facts-uk-government-quizzes-supermarkets) 4 min read [Supply Chain Management](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/supply-chain-management) [Industry News](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-news) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) [Food Safety & Quality](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/food-safety-quality) ##### [UK government quizzes supermarkets on food price inflation: 5 fast facts](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/5-fast-facts-uk-government-quizzes-supermarkets) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 27/06/2023 On 27 June, the heads of Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s sat before the UK Government’s Business & Trade... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/5-fast-facts-uk-government-quizzes-supermarkets) [![\[Infographic\] Story of a hamper: understanding the traceability journey](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/Story%20of%20a%20hamper%20understanding%20the%20traceability%20journey.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/story-of-a-hamper-the-traceability-journey) 4 min read [Sustainability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/sustainability) [Traceability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/traceability) [FSMA 204](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/fsma-204) [Artificial Intelligence](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/artificial-intelligence) [EUDR](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/eudr) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) ##### [\[Infographic\] Story of a hamper: understanding the traceability journey](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/story-of-a-hamper-the-traceability-journey) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 14/06/2024 A new set of upcoming legislations are redefining the traceability landscape. To understand the impact they will have... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/story-of-a-hamper-the-traceability-journey) [![12 things you need to know about the Windsor Framework UKIM Scheme](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/shutterstock_1834054435.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/12-things-you-need-to-know-about-windsor-framework-ukims) 3 min read [Supply Chain Management](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/supply-chain-management) [Industry News](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-news) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) [Food Safety & Quality](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/food-safety-quality) ##### [12 things you need to know about the Windsor Framework UKIM Scheme](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/12-things-you-need-to-know-about-windsor-framework-ukims) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 12/06/2023 On Friday, details were released about the new green lane system set to replace the UK Trader Scheme in October 2024... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/12-things-you-need-to-know-about-windsor-framework-ukims) [![Industry Voices with John Hood](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20header%20-IndustryVoices%20John%20Hood.png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-john-hood) 13 min read [Procurement](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/procurement) [Expert Insights](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/expert-insights) [Industry Voices](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/industry-voices) [Livestock Procurement](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/livestock-procurement) [Food Safety & Quality](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/food-safety-quality) ##### [Industry Voices with John Hood](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-john-hood) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 08/05/2024 Welcome to Industry Voices – our interview series with real people in the food sector talking about the big issues of... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-john-hood) [![EUDR spotlight: expert analysis on the current challenges](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/EUDR%20blog%202025.jpg)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/eudr-spotlight-expert-analysis) 14 min read [Expert Insights](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/expert-insights) [EUDR](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/eudr) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) ##### [EUDR spotlight: expert analysis on the current challenges](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/eudr-spotlight-expert-analysis) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 10/07/2024 With less than six months until the EU Deforestation Regulation deadline, we chatted with our EUDR experts - Dr Fiona... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/eudr-spotlight-expert-analysis) [![The US Avian Flu outbreak: the impact on producers, manufacturers and processors](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/BLOG%20HEADERS%20-%20Correct%20Size%20(29).png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/us-avian-flu-outbreak-the-facts) 6 min read [Animal Welfare](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/animal-welfare) ##### [The US Avian Flu outbreak: the impact on producers, manufacturers and processors](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/us-avian-flu-outbreak-the-facts) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 25/04/2024 This April, the UK declared itself free of HPAI in poultry in line with World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/us-avian-flu-outbreak-the-facts) [![20 minutes on traceability with Tom Hollick](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/BLOG%20HEADERS%20-%20Correct%20Size%20(31).png)](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/20-minutes-traceability-tom-hollick-tesco) 11 min read [Traceability](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/traceability) [EUDR](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/eudr) [Regulations](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/regulations) [Food Safety & Quality](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/tag/food-safety-quality) ##### [20 minutes on traceability with Tom Hollick](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/20-minutes-traceability-tom-hollick-tesco) By [Greer McNally](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/author/greer-mcnally) on 27/06/2024 With the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) a growing concern for many businesses, we sat down with the Group... [Continue Reading](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/20-minutes-traceability-tom-hollick-tesco) ### Stay up to date [![footer-logo-1](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Imported%20images/footer-logo-1.svg "footer-logo-1")](http://foodsconnected.com) ![](https://www.foodsconnected.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mintec@4x-8.png)  ![footerawardlogos-1](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/footerawardlogos-1.png?width=340&height=167&name=footerawardlogos-1.png)  ![Deliotte2022\_Top50-1](https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/Deliotte2022_Top50-1.jpg?width=340&height=162&name=Deliotte2022_Top50-1.jpg)   ###### Company - [Our Services](https://www.foodsconnected.com/our-services/) - [Solutions](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/) - [Sectors](https://www.foodsconnected.com/sectors/) - [About Us](https://www.foodsconnected.com/about-us/) - [Support](https://support.foodsconnected.com/support/home) - [Request a Demo](https://www.foodsconnected.com/request-a-demo/) - [Careers](https://www.foodsconnected.com/careers/) - [Resources](https://www.foodsconnected.com/resources/) ###### Solutions - [Food Compliance Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-compliance-software/) - [Safety Audits & Quality Management](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/safety-audits-quality-management/) - [Food Procurement Management Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-procurement-management-software/) - [Food Specifications & NPD](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-specifications-npd/) - [CSR & Supply Chain Sustainability](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/csr-supply-chain-sustainability/) - [Food Traceability Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/food-traceability-software/) - [Reporting & Analytics](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/reporting-analytics/) - [HACCP Management Software](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/haccp-management-software/) - [Meat Processing Software Solutions](https://www.foodsconnected.com/solutions/meat-processing-software-solutions/) ###### Contact Us - Ground Floor, Old City Factory, Patrick Street, Londonderry, BT48 7EL - [info@foodsconnected.com](mailto:info@foodsconnected.com) ###### Locations Derry | Belfast | Sydney - [Privacy Policy](https://www.foodsconnected.com/privacy-policy/) - [Terms and Conditions](https://www.foodsconnected.com/terms-and-conditions) - [Modern Slavery Act](https://www.foodsconnected.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Modern-Slavery-and-Human-Trafficking-Statement-2021.pdf) - [Cookie Policy](https://www.foodsconnected.com/cookie-policy) - [Diversity and Inclusion Policy](https://www.foodsconnected.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Diversity-Inclusion-Policy.pdf) © 2025 Foods Connected. All rights reserved. - - - - ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "VideoObject", "contentUrl" : "https://stream.mux.com/Tbuh4yLmk3ODXes2cMW3EKyzNC7021bHlbLiu01O00WgJY/capped-1080p.mp4", "dateModified" : "2025-04-01T11:12:21.394Z", "duration" : "PT13M9S", "height" : 720, "name" : "Industry Voices_Laura Ryan Final", "thumbnailUrl" : "https://4895550.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/4895550/Videos%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Industry%20Voices/Industry%20Voices_Laura%20Ryan%20Final.mp4/medium.jpg", "uploadDate" : "2025-04-01T11:11:34.148Z", "width" : 1280 } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "alternativeHeadline" : "How Meat Business Women is driving diversity and collaboration in the meat industry", "articleSection" : [ "Expert Insights", "Industry Voices", "Meat, Fish & Poultry" ], "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Greer McNally" }, "dateModified" : "2025-03-10T00:00:00+00:00", "datePublished" : "2025-03-10T00:00:00+00:00", "description" : "In this Industry Voices interview, Meat Business Women founder Laura Ryan shares her accidental journey into the meat industry, the evolution of Meat Business Women into a UN-recognised global movement, the current state of diversity in the sector, five big challenges keeping leaders awake at night, and why collaboration and strong personal networks are essential for the future of food and meat business leadership.", "headline" : "Industry Voices with Laura Ryan: connecting people to drive meaningful change", "image" : "https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Blog%20Imagery%20(PI%20AUTOMATED)/Blog%20Headers/Industry%20Voices%20with%20Laura%20Ryan%20connecting%20people%20to%20drive%20meaningful%20change.png", "keywords" : [ "Laura Ryan", "Meat Business Women", "meat industry leadership", "women in meat industry", "gender diversity in food industry", "agri-food sector", "meat industry challenges", "sustainability in meat", "labour shortages in meat sector", "Food Business Charter", "food industry careers", "industry collaboration" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.foodsconnected.com/hubfs/Imported%20images/footer-logo-1.svg" }, "name" : "Foods Connected" }, "url" : "https://blog.foodsconnected.com/industry-voices-with-laura-ryan" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "FAQPage", "mainEntity" : [ { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Laura Ryan is the Global Chair and Founder of Meat Business Women, CEO at Lavenpark Consulting and an executive coach. With over 25 years of experience in the meat industry, she previously served as Director of the Beef & Lamb Board at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and is recognised as a leading voice on collaboration, diversity and transformational change in the global agri-food sector." }, "name" : "Who is Laura Ryan and what roles does she hold in the meat industry?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Laura describes her route into the meat industry as accidental but ultimately a passion. She started out in a graduate marketing role for a small catering butcher and quickly became fascinated by the complexity of the sector. Over the following 25 years she built a career that spans industry boards, consultancy and network leadership, learning the importance of understanding different stakeholders and building relationships along the supply chain." }, "name" : "How did Laura Ryan begin her career in the meat industry?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Meat Business Women began in 2015 as a small women’s networking event in London after Laura noticed how few women were in the room at industry events. It has since grown into a UN-recognised global professional network for women in the meat industry, with partnerships across the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand and support from major businesses such as Tesco, Morrisons and Hilton Food Group. Its Food Business Charter, launched in 2024, aims to increase female representation in the meat sector to 40% by 2035 through clear goals, accountability and practical actions." }, "name" : "What is Meat Business Women and how has it evolved?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Laura notes that while there are now more women at middle and senior management levels, overall representation of women in the meat industry has actually declined—from around 36% in 2020 to 33.5% today. She highlights that the most successful businesses on diversity focus on three areas: building a strong, inclusive company culture, using data to benchmark and track representation and attrition, and offering flexibility that supports both women and men with caring responsibilities." }, "name" : "What is the current state of gender diversity in the meat industry according to the interview?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "From her consultancy work, Laura identifies five major challenges: continued pressure on consumer confidence and disposable income; supply chain inflation and rising input costs in a labour-heavy sector; constrained availability of resources, such as reduced cattle numbers feeding through into the supply chain; ongoing sustainability pressures, particularly around beef, poultry and pig meat; and persistent labour shortages driven by issues like visas, Brexit and perceptions of the industry." }, "name" : "What key challenges does Laura see facing the meat and wider agri-food industry?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Laura believes there is a significant opportunity for competitors to work together in pre-competitive spaces such as labour and sustainability, where shared challenges demand collective solutions. By collaborating across the supply chain and building communities through networks like Meat Business Women, businesses can share insight, accelerate progress on difficult issues and make the sector more attractive to new talent." }, "name" : "Why does Laura emphasise collaboration and community as opportunities for the sector?" }, { "@type" : "Question", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Laura encourages people to see food and drink as a rewarding, challenging sector with strong career prospects. Her key piece of advice is to build a personal board: a small group of trusted people who can challenge you, offer advice and keep you honest as your career develops. Over time, this network of mentors and peers becomes invaluable when making tough decisions and navigating change." }, "name" : "What advice does Laura give to people considering a career in food and drink?" } ] } ```