A Study on Women Entrepreneurs in Food Industry

Abstract

Women have been involved in the food industry for centuries, playing essential roles in food production, processing, and trade. Women-led businesses also tend to prioritize community impact, empowering other women and marginalized groups through mentorship, employment, and inclusive practices. Despite their significant contributions, women entrepreneurs often face challenges such as limited access to funding, gender bias, and inadequate support networks. By fostering an enabling environment, we can unlock the full potential of women entrepreneurs, ensuring a more equitable and prosperous future for all. The objective of the study is to identify the factors influencing to start the food business, the problem faced by the women entrepreneurs in food industry and the level of importance for the women entrepreneurs in food industry. The uses both the primary data and secondary data also use convenient sampling method for the data collection. For the purpose of the study percentage analysis and weighted average score analysis has been used. The study concludes that Women entrepreneurs can continue to thrive and shape the future of the food industry. Their contributions not only benefit the economy but also promote social and cultural change, making their role indispensable in this dynamic sector.

Introduction

Women entrepreneurs play a vital role in economic growth, innovation, job creation, and social development, particularly in sectors such as healthcare, education, sustainability, and food services. Women-led businesses often emphasize community impact, inclusion, and empowerment, contributing to gender equality and broader social progress. Recognizing this, governments and institutions are increasingly supporting women entrepreneurs through policies, funding, and mentorship initiatives.

Despite their growing presence, women entrepreneurs in the food industry face significant challenges that limit business growth and sustainability. These include limited access to finance, socio-cultural barriers, lack of institutional and policy awareness, work–life balance constraints, and difficulties in formalizing operations and accessing wider markets. Traditional, male-dominated industry networks further intensify these obstacles.

The study focuses on women entrepreneurs in the food industry across Coimbatore, Pondicherry, and Chennai, with a sample of 125 respondents, using primary and secondary data analyzed through percentage and weighted average methods. The objectives were to identify motivating factors, assess challenges faced, and determine key priorities for women entrepreneurs in the sector.

Findings reveal that most respondents are aged 35–45 years, married, have school-level education, reside in urban areas, and earn below ?50,000 per month. The most significant challenge identified is the rise in raw material prices (29.67%), followed by supply chain disruptions and customer dissatisfaction. Among business factors, product quality was ranked as the most important, followed by customer satisfaction and feedback.

The study suggests that improving product quality, understanding customer preferences, adopting digital marketing and social media, maintaining hygiene, managing costs effectively, and innovating with unique offerings can enhance business performance. Overall, the research highlights the need for targeted support, training, and policy interventions to strengthen women’s entrepreneurship and promote sustainable growth in the food industry.

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Conclusion

Women entrepreneurs are playing a transformative role in the food industry, driving innovation, sustainability, and economic growth. Despite facing challenges such as access to capital and gender bias, they are leveraging their passion, creativity, and resilience to build successful ventures. By addressing these barriers and capitalizing on emerging trends. Women entrepreneurs can continue to thrive and shape the future of the food industry. Their contributions not only benefit the economy but also promote social and cultural change, making their role indispensable in this dynamic sector.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Dr. M. Renukadevi, Dr. Y. S. Irine Jiji, Dr. G.A. Hema. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.