This year has been the toughest yet by far for businesswoman Janna Horsthuis.

But she has defiantly stood up to the challenges caused by the health crisis.

Miss Horsthuis, managing director of the Robinson’s food distribution firm, told the Manx Independent: ’I was not going to let the ship go down on my watch.’

As a woman who grew up in the family business before taking the helm in 2017, she helped mastermind a plan this year for the business which safeguarded the jobs of her staff and included offering home deliveries across the island.

That has been a success and has now spawned a new independent business, set to be launched in the new year, with £6m predicted in projected first year sales.

As the boss of the island’s largest food distributor in the food service sector, employing more than 175 staff, she says she and the business have been through and are still going through ’an extremely tough year’.

The 39-year-old mother of two has now earned a place on a shortlist of entrepreneurs in the NatWest Everywoman awards for women in business in the British Isles.

She is a finalist for the Hera Award presented to the most inspirational woman running a business trading for 10 years or more.

’It was quite a shock to learn I was on the shortlist of finalists but this is not just for me, it is about our team at Robinson’s who have played their part and been marvellous,’ said Miss Horsthuis.

When Covid hit, the food sector service business was facing a ’potentially catastrophic scenario’ that could have meant Robinson’s could no longer supply places such as the prison, care home and hospital.

Miss Horsthuis went to the government and ensured that grant money prioritised payments to suppliers.

Meanwhile she flipped the wholesale business model to retail overnight with the home deliveries.

She said driving change throughout the business has been her biggest challenge and greatest achievement.

This month Robinson’s has been running a ’shop local’ campaign dubbed: ’Don’t let the legs fall off’ referring to the Three Legs of Mann.