Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturers NAICS 311941, 311942
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Industry Summary
The 750 seasoning and dressing manufacturers in the US produce condiments, sauces, spices, and seasonings that enhance the flavor of food. Major product categories include prepared sauces; dry mix food preparations; spices, flavorings, and food colorings; and salad dressings, mayonnaise, and sandwich spreads. The category does not include ketchup.
Variable Raw Ingredient Costs
Raw ingredients are agricultural products, which are subject to price fluctuations that depend on underlying commodity costs and global market conditions.
Plant-Based Foods Growth
Americans are increasingly incorporating plant-based foods into their diets, a change that favors the salad dressing category.
Recent Developments
Jun 23, 2026 - Salad Dressing Maker Dips Into Snacks
- Responding to consumers’ growing appetite for high-protein foods, Hidden Valley Ranch is expanding beyond dressings with the launch of Hidden Valley Ranch Dippers, a refrigerated snack that features chicken strips and ranch dressing, Food Dive reports. Developed through a partnership with meat supplier Carl Buddig and Company, the ready-to-eat products contain 15 grams of protein and are available in Original Ranch and Buffalo-Style Ranch flavors. The launch highlights how food manufacturers are leveraging established brands to enter adjacent categories and cater to popular trends like high-protein snacking. Hidden Valley's expansion into protein snacks follows a series of brand extensions into products such as crackers, pizza, and ice cream. The move underscores the continued strength of the ranch flavor category, which generated $1.3 billion in sales in 2024 and is one of the most popular condiment flavors in the US market.
- Spice giant and culinary trends forecaster McCormick has named Black Currant 2026’s flavor of the year, adding that herbal flavors are emerging as the next big trend in food. In its 2026 Flavor Forecast, McCormick says black currant’s tart and sweet taste speaks to fast-developing consumer trends, including the demand for ingredients that are opulent and exotic, yet still simple and affordable. Black currant berries are native to central and northern Europe and northern Asia and are commonly used in jams and syrups, fitting in with consumer appetite for sauces and dressings. The sweet, tart, and rich berries are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, while meeting growing consumer demand for functional ingredients, according to McCormick.
- Tariffs on exports from India and other spice producing countries imposed by the Trump administration are poised to reshape the global spice trade, with spices and seasonings from India becoming less attractive in the US market compared to other origins like Vietnam and Indonesia, exporters told the Hindu Buinessline. In 2024, the US imported more than $410 million in spices from India, according to the USDA, and the US is the second largest market for Indian spices. Several essential spices, including cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and cloves, require tropical climates and, therefore, cannot be grown in the US on a large enough scale to meet demand, the executive director of the American Spice Trade Association, Laura Shumow, said in a statement. US consumers, restaurants, and food manufacturers are likely to face high prices for imported spices from India – and other countries slapped with tariffs – or supply constraints as importers cut back.
- Producer prices for seasoning and dressing manufacturers stayed flat in May compared to a year ago, after rising just 0.9% in the previous May-versus-May annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. By comparison, retail prices for spices, seasonings, condiments, and sauces rose 3.4% year over year in May but were unchanged from April, while salad dressing prices declined 3.7% YoY and 4.9% from April, per the Labor Department’s May 2026 Consumer Price Index report. Employment by the industry dipped 0.6% YoY in April, while the average wage at food manufacturers rose 1.6% YoY in May to a new high of $24.38 per hour, BLS data show.
Industry Revenue
Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturers
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average seasoning and dressing manufacturer employs about 58 workers and generates over $36 million annually.
- The seasoning and dressing manufacturing industry consists of about 750 firms that employ 43,500 workers and generate over $27 billion annually.
- The industry is concentrated; the top 50 companies account for between 78% and 89% of industry revenue.
- Mayonnaise, dressing, and prepared sauce manufacturers account for 45% of establishments and 49% of total industry revenue, while spice and extract manufacturers account for 55% of establishments and 51% of industry revenue.
- Major companies, which include Kraft/Heinz, Campbell Soup, and McCormick, have a global presence. Large conglomerates like Unilever and Clorox also produce seasonings and dressings. Privately held companies include McIlhenny/Tabasco, Ken’s Foods, and Newman’s Own.
- The US ranks eighth in the world in spice consumption. India is the world’s largest consumer of spices, accounting for about 39% of global consumption.
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Seasoning and Dressing Manufacturers Industry Growth
Source: Vertical IQ and Inforum
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