Month: June 2026

Each month we share some of the stories, features and campaigns the Hungry team has been working on.

This month’s Press Coverage of the Month looks a little different, as we’re sharing a piece written by Hungry’s own MD, Sam Houston for Stir It Up magazine.

As a food and drink PR agency, storytelling is a huge part of what we do. Whether it’s securing media coverage, creating content or finding the people behind a brand, it all starts with understanding what makes a story interesting.

The coverage

Sam interviewed hospitality legend David Mulcahy for the June issue of Stir It Up as part of its Leading Lights series.

The feature explores David’s incredible career, his work supporting the hospitality industry and his passion for inspiring the next generation of chefs, including through initiatives such as Springboard FutureChef.

Why this story matters

Behind every great piece of coverage is a great story.

The interview works because it goes beyond David’s career achievements and looks at the experience, passion and knowledge behind them.

It’s a reminder that some of the strongest stories come from the people shaping an industry and the ideas they have to share.

David has played a huge role in shaping the future of hospitality, supporting chefs at every stage of their careers and helping to shine a light on new talent entering the industry.

Why it worked

Before Hungry Communications, Sam spent almost 20 years as a journalist, interviewing people, finding stories and creating content for leading publications.

That editorial experience is still at the heart of what we do today, helping food and drink brands find their voice, share their stories and connect with the right audiences.

You can read Sam’s full interview with David Mulcahy in the June issue of Stir It Up magazine here: June 26 SIU_MR final

Takeaway from a food and drink PR agency

This was a brilliant conversation with one of hospitality’s leading voices and another reminder that there are always great stories to be told in food and drink.

Thanks for reading. Hannah

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about AI in PR.

Mainly because, well, it’s really useful.

I use it myself. It helps speed things up, organise ideas, structure information, pull together research, tidy up notes and get through admin much faster. It will even help me with the SEO for this very blog post (thanks!) And that’s brilliant.

But the more I use it, the more I keep coming back to the same thing: the best PR still relies on people.

Not because AI isn’t clever. It is. But PR isn’t just information exchange. It’s human communication and relationship building.

There are a few things I still think good PR people do, that AI can’t replicate (just yet).

1. Building relationships still matters in AI in PR

This is probably the biggest one and the thing we’ll keep coming back to. A big part of doing PR well is understanding the people you’re talking to.

You learn which journalists prefer things short and direct. Who likes a joke. Who hates overly polished PR language. Who will miss an email but reply instantly to a text message, WhatsApp or Instagram DM.

You learn when not to pitch. Which days their inboxes are chaos. When they’re open to chatting. Even details about their families, holidays, working patterns and what they enjoy outside work. It all builds a picture.

For PR people, journalists are often our first audience and understanding how they work is a huge part of doing the job well.

AI can help draft an email, but it doesn’t really know your relationship with that person. And for us, a lot of PR success still comes from relationships built over years.

2. AI in PR can research, but humans still join the dots

AI is good at finding existing information.

But one thing I still think humans do better is spotting unexpected connections.

PR people consume media constantly. We read features, listen to podcasts, scroll Instagram, overhear conversations, notice trends and absorb….all day long.

Sometimes the best idea for a food or drink brand comes from reading something completely unrelated. A travel feature. A parenting article. A sports story. Even a dog competition.

That sideways thinking is often where the strongest ideas come from.

AI can analyse what already exists, but humans are still much better at connecting ideas, people and stories.

3. Thoughtfulness and personality still matter in PR

There’s also the human side of PR that people remember.

A handwritten note. A birthday bunch of flowers.

Sending someone their favourite mixer with a bottle of gin because you know they love it.

Remembering something small they mentioned months ago.

Putting together a sample that feels personal rather than mass-produced.

Those little details still matter because people remember how you made them feel.

4. Why face-to-face communication still matters in AI in PR

PR has become much more digital over the years.

There are fewer long phone calls, fewer coffees and fewer press lunches (shame!) than there used to be. Even less press events.

But whenever you do meet face-to-face, you nearly always get more from it.

You share stories behind the brand. You bounce ideas around naturally. Conversations about future features, collaborations and angles nobody had thought of before. You have time, maybe not much but much more than a 300 word email.

That chemistry is hard to recreate online.

5. Human judgement is still important in AI in PR

This is probably the hardest thing to explain, but experienced PR people know it instantly.

Sometimes it’s knowing not to send the email. Sometimes it’s knowing a story isn’t ready yet. Sometimes it’s understanding that a pitch technically works, but doesn’t feel right for that journalist, publication or moment.

AI can help generate ideas, but judgement still matters.

And I think that’s probably where the “human in the loop” part comes in.

Final thoughts on AI in PR

AI is already a brilliant tool for PR and I think most agencies now use it in some form.

But the best communications work still comes from people who understand relationships, timing, culture and human connection.

That’s probably the bit we need to hold (or cling) onto.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Hannah

Fresh strawberries, zesty lime and a splash of gin – our recipe of the month is a Strawberry Gin Smash made for summertime.

The days are getting warmer (I’m an optimist), so we’re celebrating simple serves, bringing together great ingredients and fresh flavours. This Strawberry Gin Smash recipe combines Hernö Pink BTL Gin, Coconut Sugar, fresh strawberries, lime and basil to create the most refreshing cocktail for a gathering with mates, BBQs or a weekend treat.

At Hungry Communications, creating recipes is about much more than mixing ingredients together. From initial ideas and flavour combinations through to recipe development, styling and photography, we create content that helps food and drink brands tell their story.

This Strawberry Gin Smash was developed and shot in-house as part of our summer cocktail series, creating seasonal serves that can work across a range of media opportunities.

Whether it’s summer entertaining, garden party drinks, Wimbledon recipes or the best cocktails to serve in jugs and pitchers, we look at how every recipe can be adapted to give journalists fresh, timely and useable ideas throughout the year.

We also work closely with bartenders, chefs and industry experts to develop recipes that not only taste great but look the part too. After all, in food and drink PR, the right recipe is often the starting point for a much bigger story.

Strawberry Gin Smash Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 cups Hernö Pink BTL Gin
• 3 cups soda water
• 1 tbsp Coconut Sugar
• 1 punnet fresh strawberries
• Juice of two limes
• Ice
• Fresh basil to garnish

Method

Cut the limes into small pieces, add the sugar and place in a cocktail shaker. Muddle well to release the oils from the peel and combine the sugar with the juice.

Strain into a jug and add half the punnet of strawberries before smashing everything together.

Next, add plenty of ice, the Hernö gin, the remaining sliced strawberries and a few fresh basil leaves.

Gently stir the ingredients together before topping up with soda water.

Serve in highball glasses with fresh strawberries and basil to garnish.

Food and Drink Recipe Development

At Hungry Communications, we create recipes, photography and PR campaigns for food and drink brands, helping turn great products into stories people want to read.

Keep an eye on the Hungry Communications blog for more recipes, ideas and inspiration from the brands we work with.

And if you want to get your brand in front of thirsty consumers, get in touch.

Hannah