The Global Food Industry: the market

Exclusive extracts from this 109-page-long report:

- What is the business?

The food industry covers a huge number of activities involved in creating an array of products from a wide range of sources. The focus of this report is on food processing, that is to say the transforming of raw ingredients, by physical or chemical means, for consumption. Companies in this industry manufacture and process a wide variety of foods, including meat, seafood, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, milled grains and oilseeds, baked goods, and sweets. […]

- What are the main markets?

The Asia Pacific and Middle East/Africa regions together accounted for 36% of global food sales in 2017, up from 33% in 2012. Their share will keep growing in the coming years, driven by a growing middle class, higher urbanisation and the expansion of modern retail formats, as well as busier urban lifestyles which will underpin demand for snacks and conveniently packaged food. In more developed regions, The sector's performance will remain more mitigated, with lacklustre growth in overall packaged food sales, but plenty of growth opportunities in the organic/plant-based nutrition segments, among others. [...]

- Who are the key players?

The world's largest packaged food specialists have very different profiles. Nestlé is, by far, the largest food maker owing to its highly diversified portfolio, much like direct competitor PepsiCo. Other leading food groups are generally more specialised, focusing on one or a few major market segments (snacks, dairy, breakfast cereals, sauces, etc.). [...]

- How intense is competition?

Food companies compete with other local, regional and global manufacturers, with considerable differences between regions. Competition tends to be more concentrated in developed markets, where the biggest manufacturers control most shelf space. The rise of private labels, and many small companies carving out niche markets in fast growing segments (organic food, vegan food, ethnic food, etc.), has further reinforced competition in recent years, which in turn has fuelled M&A activity across the sector as market leaders seek to diversify and adapt their portfolios to changing demand trends. [...]

0. Conclusions

1. Market Fundamentals

1.1. Overview

1.2. The Industry

2. Market Environment and Prospects

2.1. Market Environment

2.2. Demand

2.3. Supply

3. Corporate Strategies and Competition

3.1. Competitive Environment

3.2. Leaders' Recent Performances

3.3. Business Strategies

4. Case Studies

5. Statistical Appendix

6. Sources

7. Annexes

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