Pola Lem

Pola is The Grocer’s trends editor. She manages our weekly Focus On reports explaining the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind shifting currents in what we eat and drink.

Before jumping into retail journalism in January 2024, Pola worked for Times Higher Education, where she was was Asia reporter and co-editor of THE’s global university rankings supplement – a gig that offered plenty of opportunities for fantastic meals in the Far East.

Since graduating from Columbia University’s journalism school in 2015, Pola has lived in Japan and rural Alaska, covered the US senate, and written about satellite imagery for Nasa.

She has a weakness for biang biang noodles with chilli oil.