Communicating food as a force for good with Mallika Basu

This session is for free for Better Food Traders Members and is running as part of our annual Business Support Week. Become a member of Better Food Traders.

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Are you trying to communicate the value of what you do in ways that connect with shoppers and eaters? Struggling to join the dots between your passion and profit, or connect with the right people to join you on the journey?

In this interactive 1.5-hour talk and workshop, Mallika Basu, author, broadcaster and strategic adviser, will explore how connecting, collaborating and communicating effectively can help sustainable food enterprises grow their impact and audience.

Drawing on her 25 years of strategic advisory, food writing and forthcoming book In Good Taste: What Shapes What We Eat and Drink – And Why It Matters, Mallika will unpack why food stories matter, what makes them resonate, and how to speak about sustainability, ethics and culture in relatable, compelling ways.

About this session:

Mallika will share insights and real-world examples from across food, communications and culture, from corporate boards to community food initiatives.

The session will include:

• Understanding what drives connection and trust in food storytelling
• How to communicate purpose and values without jargon or guilt
• Framing the “better food” story to attract and inspire customers
• Building emotional connection and loyalty through story
• Practical exercises to sharpen your own message
• Essential dos and don’ts to remain inclusive, culturally sensitive and relevant within wider food culture
• There will be time for questions, reflection and discussion at the end.

This session is for:

• Food and drink enterprises working towards more sustainable, fair and ethical trade
• Retailers, bakers and community food businesses who want to communicate better with customers
• Founders and teams looking to align purpose with growth and storytelling
• Anyone interested in how food storytelling can drive positive change across the food system

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About your trainer

Mallika Basu is a strategic adviser, author and broadcaster with over two decades of experience. A former spice brand owner, she blends commercial insight, cultural intelligence and a multidisciplinary approach to help food and drink businesses grow with purpose and impact. Her clients have included Borough Market, Waitrose and NFU Education, and she writes regular features for Good Food, Britain’s largest circulating consumer food magazine. Through her media platforms — including her In Good Taste newsletter, podcast and book — Mallika joins the dots between food, people and planet.

About Better Food Traders

Better Food Traders (BFT) is a not-for-profit CIC that empowers and equips traders, communities, and growers to rebuild an independent, sustainable food sector. We support agroecological farming and help build routes to market that reduce the environmental impacts of food, enabling a just transition to a more climate- and nature-friendly food system.

As part of this, we support a national network of independent food traders, including veg box schemes, shops, wholesalers, bakeries, fishmongers, farmers markets and online retailers who are united by a commitment to trade UK-grown, ethically produced and organic/agroecological food