How One Woman’s Mission is Transforming Allergen Safety in Hospitality
Featuring Caroline Benjamin, Founder of Food Allergy Aware
When Caroline Benjamin founded Food Allergy Aware in 2013, it wasn’t just a business decision, it was a personal and professional turning point. As someone living with a gluten and dairy intolerance, Caroline knew firsthand how difficult it could be to dine out safely. After years of navigating the challenges of hospitality both as a professional and a consumer, she realised the sector needed more than allergen awareness. It needed structure, training, and support. That realisation marked the beginning of a journey that’s been reshaping allergen management in UK hospitality ever since.
“If you'd told me at 18 I’d be running national training events and advising councils, I would never have believed it. But here we are.”
Caroline’s career didn’t follow a conventional path.
She trained as a chef in her teens, later moving into front-of-house roles and eventually event management at institutions like Imperial College and Sparsholt College. She then stepped into the corporate world, working in administrative and coordination roles at organisations such as IBM, Huawei, and Pratt & Whitney. Each position brought new skills, project management, communication, stakeholder engagement and built a strong foundation for entrepreneurship. One particularly formative experience came during her time in aerospace, where she learned the value of “near miss” reporting, a rigorous safety practice from the aviation industry that she would later translate into food safety protocols.
“Aviation’s focus on prevention and accountability was an eye-opener. I realised food safety needed the same rigour, because allergens can be just as life-threatening.”
The personal side of her story runs just as deep. After giving birth to her son, Caroline began experiencing serious health issues that were eventually traced to food intolerances. Dining out became fraught with risk and stress. Initially, she considered launching a line of allergy-safe food products, but as supermarkets improved their offerings, her focus shifted. She saw the real gap in hospitality training and awareness, particularly in small and mid-sized venues. This blend of personal urgency and professional capability became the driving force behind Food Allergy Aware.
Launching the business came with its own hurdles.
Caroline started slowly, initially running the consultancy part-time while maintaining other roles to pay the bills. A key moment of validation came with the introduction of the Food Information Regulations in 2014. Caroline had just hosted her first awareness event, which featured prominent speakers from the Food Standards Agency. The timing was perfect, and it helped her build early credibility in the field. From there, the business evolved into a multifaceted consultancy offering accredited training, audits, food safety management system reviews, and bespoke workshops.
The consultancy’s reach has grown steadily. Caroline and her team have worked with universities like Reading and Oxford, local authorities such as Chesterfield Borough Council, hospital caterers, and even leisure venues like trampoline parks. She has also travelled to Dubai to train their municipality officers. Caroline and colleague Sally Trice produced training resource content for the Royal Society for Public Health Level 2 Award in Identifying and Controlling Food Allergy Risks and have run numerous widely praised mock trial events in collaboration with law firm Blake Morgan, simulating real-world allergen litigation to help businesses understand their legal responsibilities.
“We’re not just ticking boxes, we’re helping organisations build a culture that genuinely protects people.”
One of the most ambitious projects Caroline is currently leading is the development of a new Allergen Certification Scheme.
This initiative offers hospitality venues a way to demonstrate their allergen safety standards across four levels, bronze to platinum. The scheme provides greater clarity for customers and gives the food-hypersensitive diners a clear, credible signal that a venue takes their safety seriously. Currently in its pilot phase, the scheme is already generating interest and Caroline hopes to roll it out nationally in the coming year.
“People with allergies shouldn’t have to gamble every time they eat out. Our certification scheme makes safety visible, and gives businesses a roadmap to improve.”
Running a consultancy alone has never been easy, and Caroline is candid about the emotional and logistical challenges. She credits much of her endurance to a strong support system, including her longtime collaborator Sally Trice, her family, and professional networks like the Hampshire Women’s Business Group. Caroline often wrestles with imposter syndrome and decision fatigue but finds strength in meaningful conversations, peer feedback, and an unwavering belief in the importance of her work.
The impact of Food Allergy Aware is felt across sectors. Caroline’s events attract attention from food safety professionals, local authorities, and major training bodies. Her work has received industry recognition, including multiple awards from the Society of Food Hygiene and Technology. These accolades, along with invitations to judge national awards and speak at prominent events, underscore her growing influence in the allergen safety landscape.
Looking ahead
Caroline is focused on scaling the certification scheme and exploring collaborations with the NHS, universities, and large-scale event caterers. She’s also considering new technology platforms, such as e-learning and CRM systems, to streamline operations and improve client engagement. While still cautious about hiring, she envisions expanding her team in the coming years and making Food Allergy Aware a name synonymous with best practice in allergen management.
“My goal is for the business to thrive independently of me, because it’s not just my story anymore, it’s a solution to a growing public need.”
Asked what drives her, Caroline says it's about keeping people safe, herself, her son, and the millions of others navigating food hypersensitivities daily. She believes communication, empathy and education must sit at the heart of hospitality. In a world where one mislabelled dish can have fatal consequences, her mission couldn’t be more vital.
Caroline Benjamin is more than an entrepreneur, she’s a changemaker. Through Food Allergy Aware, she’s turning her lived experience into safer, smarter systems for everyone who eats out. Her journey offers a powerful reminder that businesses built on purpose and resilience can create ripples far beyond their original vision.