Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturers
Industry Profile Report
Dive Deep into the industry with a 25+ page industry report (pdf format) including the following chapters
Industry Overview Current Conditions, Industry Structure, How Firms Operate, Industry Trends, Credit Underwriting & Risks, and Industry Forecast.
Call Preparation Call Prep Questions, Industry Terms, and Weblinks.
Financial Insights Working Capital, Capital Financing, Business Valuation, and Financial Benchmarks.
Industry Profile Excerpts
Industry Overview
The 815 perishable prepared food manufacturers in the US produce fresh, ready-to-eat or ready-to-heat food that provide convenience for consumers. Products include pastas and noodles, processed fruits and vegetables, salads and slaws, pizzas, sandwiches and wraps, tofu, hard-boiled eggs, refrigerated snack packs, cooked meats, refrigerated soups and stews, meat pies and quiches, and packaged lunches.
Competition for Retail Shelf Space
Firms can lose access to markets if products are slow movers or expire on retailers’ shelves, as competition for shelf space is fierce, especially for refrigerated foods.
Healthier Prepared Options
Consumers are looking for convenient prepared food options that are healthier than fast food.
Industry size & Structure
The average perishable prepared food manufacturer operates out of a single location, employs about 82 workers, and generates about $27 million annually.
- The perishable prepared food manufacturing industry consists of about 815 companies, which employ about 66,500 workers and generate about $21.7 billion annually.
- The industry is concentrated with the 20 largest firms representing 60% of industry revenue.
- Customer industries include food distributors, grocers, convenience stores, institutions, airports, and vending machine owners.
- Large companies include Fresh Express, Fresh & Ready Foods, E.A. Sween Company, Reser’s Fine Foods, and Spring Glen, as well as divisions of large food manufacturers such as Kraft Heinz (Lunchables).
Industry Forecast
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturers Industry Growth
Recent Developments
Mar 30, 2025 - Food Packaging Chemicals Found in Human Bodies
- A new study has found widespread human exposure to thousands of chemicals used in food packaging, Food Manufacturing reports. The study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, identified over 3,600 chemicals used in food packaging and other food contact chemicals (FCCs) that have been found in human urine, blood, and breast milk and reveals significant gaps in biomonitoring and toxicity data. “Our research establishes a link between food contact chemicals, exposure, and human health,” said Dr. Birgit Geueke, adding, “It also highlights those chemicals that have been overlooked in biomonitoring studies so far.” FCCs include PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”), which are facing increased scrutiny and regulation. Food companies are beginning to adopt PFAS-free packaging alternatives (like clay-coated paper, biowax, bamboo, and seaweed-based materials) to reduce financial and reputational risks as regulations tighten, Food Industry Executive reports.
- Food manufacturers and grocery stores have an additional 30 months to comply with the Food Traceability Rule, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods reports. The rule sets requirements for additional traceability records for certain foods and establishes new traceability recordkeeping requirements for persons who manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List, which includes produce and soft cheeses. It’s meant to allow for faster identification and removal of potentially contaminated food from the market, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and deaths. In a March statement the Food and Drug Administration said it doesn’t intend to amend the requirements of the final rule but is extending the compliance date – originally set for January, 2026. The agency said the delay will give covered entities the additional time necessary to ensure complete coordination across the supply chain to fully implement the final rule’s requirements. Companies had expressed concern about meeting the 2026 deadline.
- A new rule proposed by the FDA in January would require food manufacturers to put new labels on the front of packages containing key nutrition information on salt, added sugar and saturated fat, The Wall Street Journal reports. The new labels would inform consumers about whether products are considered high, medium or low in salt, added sugar and saturated fat, which the agency has warned can lead to chronic diseases when consumed in excess. The proposed warning labels were an effort by the previous administration to help Americans make healthier dietary choices. However, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump’s nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA, is a staunch critic of the food industry, which he claims is making Americans sick and obese. The FDA is accepting public comments on the proposal until May 16. If finalized, food manufacturers would have several years to comply, per WSJ.
- Competition for grocery store shelf space is heating up as brands vie for a shrinking number of spots, The Wall Street Journal reports. While claiming prime retail shelf space has always been competitive, it’s becoming more so as grocers trim the number of items they stock, shrink their retail footprints, and devote more space to their store brands, Steve Zurek, a VP at consumer research firm NIQ told WSJ. Between 2009 and 2023, square footage in supercenters and supermarkets decreased by 5% and 3.3%, respectively, NIQ data shows. Meanwhile, between 2020 and last year, retailers cut unique products by nearly 9%, per NIQ. Retailers are prioritizing products that help inflation-weary consumers save money to keep them coming back. In response, consumer-packaged-goods and food companies are “ investing in new products and working to ensure packaging and prices appeal to shoppers – and to grocers,” WSJ reports.
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