Introduction 1
How to Use This Book 3
Chapter 1: Major Trends and Technologies Affecting the Food Industry 7
1) Major Trends Affecting the Food Industry 7
2) Introduction to the Food Industry 8
3) The State of the Food Industry Today 9
4) Genetically Modified (GM) Seeds and Crops Planted in Dozens of Nations/Agribio R&D Investment Is High 12
5) Genetically Modified (GM) Foods Prompt Controversy, Labeling and Legislation 13
6) Plant-Based Meat Substitutes Developed 13
7) Selective Breeding, Mutagenesis and Gene-Editing, Including CRISPR, as Alternatives to GM Seeds 15
8) Obesity Sparks Government, School and Corporate Initiatives/Snack Foods Get Healthier 16
9) Organic Food Sales Continue Global Growth/Locally Sourced Foods and Farm to Table Increase in Popularity 18
10) McDonald's and Other Fast Food Companies Reposition to Adapt to New Consumer Tastes and Robotics 19
11) Demand for Home Grocery Delivery Service Such as Instacart and Amazon Fresh Soars 20
12) Grubhub, DoorDash and Others Deliver Restaurant Meals 21
13) Precision Agriculture Technologies (AgTech), Farm Robotics, GPS and Irrigation Market Grows Worldwide/Hi Tech Greenhouses 22
14) Drones Provide New Tools for Precision Agriculture 24
15) Aquaculture Gains Major Fish Supply Market Share 24
16) Packaging Technology Improves/Walmart, Amazon and Coca-Cola Boost Packaging Sustainability 25
17) Retail Technologies Advance for Restaurant Online Ordering, along with Robotics and Automation 28
18) RFID Drives Inventory Management Evolution 29
19) Walmart Still Leads the Retail Industry, but Invests in Web Presence to Battle Amazon 30
20) Private Label Brands Grow in Share of Total Store Sales 31
21) Consumers Drive a Revolution in the Food Industry, Demanding Fresher, More Natural Foods, Creating both Pain and Opportunities 32
22) Food Recycling Efforts Underway 33
23) Wages Rise for Restaurant, Hotel and Hospitality Workers 33
24) Food Trucks Enjoy a Boom 34
25) Meal Kits from Firms like Blue Apron Make It Easy to Prepare Home-Cooked Meals 35
26) Craft/Microbreweries Proliferate 36
27) ALDI Scores Big Market Share in the U.S., UK and Europe with its Discount Supermarkets and Aggressive Investment/Walmart Dominates Grocery Retailing 36
28) The Future of the Food Industry, Agriculture, Food Demand, Supermarkets and Online Food Retailing 36
Chapter 2: Food Industry Statistics 39
U.S. Food Industry Statistics and Market Size Overview 40
Global Food Industry Statistics and Market Size Overview 41
Food Sales, U.S.: 2021 - December 2024 42
Income Statement for U.S. Farm Sector: 2021-2025 43
Federal R&D & R&D Plant Funding for Agriculture, U.S.: Fiscal Years 2023-2025 44
Value Added to the U.S. Economy by the Agricultural Sector via the Production of Goods and Services: 2020-2025 45
Summary of U.S. Agricultural Trade Projections: Fiscal Years 2023-2034 46
Total U.S. Agricultural Commodity Exports & Imports, Top Ten Countries: 2020 - January 2025 47
Food Industry Employment, U.S.: 2018-January 2025 48
Food Preparation and Serving Related Employment and Wage Estimates by Occupation, U.S.: May 2023 49
World Supply & Utilization of Major Crops: 2022-2025 50
World Supply & Utilization of Major Animal Products: 2020-Oct 2025 51
Chapter 3: Important Food Industry Contacts 53
(Addresses, Phone Numbers and Internet Sites)
Chapter 4: THE FOOD 500:
Who They Are and How They Were Chosen 103
Index of Companies Within Industry Groups 104
Alphabetical Index 117
Index of Headquarters Location by U.S. State 121
Index of Non-U.S. Headquarters Location by Country 125
Individual Data Profiles on Each of THE FOOD 500 129
Additional Indexes
Index of Hot Spots for Advancement for Women/Minorities 628
Index by Subsidiaries, Brand Names and Selected Affiliations 630
A Short Food Industry Glossary 657
