The hard-earned pause
Christmas week has finally arrived. For many, this is a season of twinkling lights and festive carols, but for those of us navigating the professional landscape — particularly in the food and beverage sector — it marks the end of a year defined by what Ideagen recently described as “unprecedented financial pressure.”
As we prepare to sit down for our holiday meals, it’s worth reflecting on the incredible resilience shown by those who put that food on the table.
A recent report from Ideagen highlights the staggering weight currently being shouldered by the industry. With a vast majority of businesses citing credit and liquidity as top anxieties, the boardroom agenda has been dominated by a relentless financial squeeze. From commodity inflation and currency fluctuations to the permanent complexity of fragile supply chains and shifting regulations, the mental load on professionals has been immense.
When you are managing geopolitical volatility and climate-related risks daily, your brain rarely gets a chance to downshift. This is why, this Christmas, my wish for you isn’t just about “merriness” — it’s about restoration. The holiday period shouldn’t just be another item on the to-do list; it needs to be a definitive break from the constant race to keep up with evolving standards and the anxiety of rising costs. We need this time to trust that the systems we’ve built will hold while we take a much-needed moment for ourselves.
In an industry that touches all of us in the most fundamental way, the people behind the scenes deserve a moment where they aren’t the ones doing the providing. This week, I encourage you to lean into the quiet. Let the supply chain worries wait and let the complexities of the global market fade into the background. You have navigated a year of extraordinary challenges with resilience and adaptability, and now it is time to recharge that battery.
To everyone who has been shouldering the weight of these unprecedented times, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. May your holiday be a true pause button that allows you to disconnect from the pressures of the industry and reconnect with the people and moments that make the hard work worth it. Here’s to a restful break and a New Year where we find opportunity even in the tightest of markets.
- Rodney Jack, editor, Food & Drink Technology. Keep in touch via email: [email protected] Twitter: @foodanddrinktec or LinkedIn: Food & Drink Technology magazine.
