5 Largest Food Companies in the World

Below we presented the 5 largest food companies in the world. For our detailed discussion and a more comprehensive list please see 15 largest food companies in the world.

5. Unilever (NYSE: UL)

Unilever is a British multinational consumer goods company headquartered in London, England. Unilever NV engages in the production and marketing of consumer goods in the nutrition, hygiene, and personal care categories. It operates through the following segments: beauty and personal care, foods and refreshment, and home care.  Their  products are available in around 190 countries. Unilever was founded on 2 September 1929. Unilever owns over 400 brands. Since January 2019, Alan Jope is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer is Graeme Pitkethly. Unilever reports revenue of $58.2 billion in 2020.

4. The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM)

The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, commonly known as ADM, is an American multinational food processing and commodities trading corporation founded in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1902. by George A. Archer and John W. Daniels and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. processes oilseeds, corn, wheat, cocoa and other agricultural commodities. The company operates through the following segments: Ag Services and Oilseeds, Carbohydrate Solutions and Nutrition. Chairman and CEO of the company is Juan Ricardo Luciano. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. reports revenues of $64,656 billion in 2019. It has 38 100 employees. The company operates more than 270 plants and 420 crop procurement facilities worldwide, where cereal grains and oilseeds are processed into products used in food, beverage, nutraceutical, industrial, and animal feed markets worldwide. The company also provides agricultural storage and transportation services. The American River Transportation Company along with ADM Trucking, Inc., are subsidiaries of ADM.

3. PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP)

PepsiCo, Inc. is an American multinational food, snack and beverage corporation headquartered in Harrison, New York. PepsiCo has interests in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of grain-based snack foods, beverages, and other products. It is a company with a complementary portfolio of brands, including Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, and Tropicana. It operates through the following business segments: Frito-Lay North America; Quaker Foods North America, North America Beverages, Latin America, Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia, Middle East, and North Africa. The company was founded by Caleb Bradham, a pharmacist and businessman from Duplin County, North Carolina, on August 28, 1920., 100 years ago. Chairman and CEO of the company is Ramon Luis Laguarta. It has around 267 000 employees. PepsiCO reports revenues of $68,2 billion in May 2020.

2. Nestlé

Nestlé SA is a Swiss multinational food and drink processing conglomerate corporation, a nutrition, health and wellness company, which engages in the manufacture, supply and production of prepared dishes and cooking aids, milk-based products, pharmaceuticals and ophthalmic goods, baby foods and cereals. It is headquartered in Vevey, Vaud, Switzerland. The company was founded by Henri Nestlé in 1866., 154 years ago (as Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company). CEO of the company us Ulf Mark Schneider and the chairman of the company is Paul Bulcke. Twenty-nine of Nestlé’s brands have annual sales of over US$1.1 billion, including Nespresso, Nescafé, Kit Kat, Smarties, Nesquik, Stouffer’s, Vittel, and Maggi. Nestlé has 447 factories, operates in 189 countries, and employs around 339,000 people. Nestle has a market capitalization of US$304,1 billion. The company reports revenues of US$93,1 billion in 2020.

1. Cargill

Cargill, Incorporated is an American privately held global food corporation based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and incorporated in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1865. by William Wallace Cargill, it is the largest privately held corporation in the United States in terms of revenue. Cargill reports revenues of $114.695 billion 2020. CEO and chairman of the company is David MacLennan, and CFO is David Dines. They have 166 000 employees. They are working in 70 countries and have 155 years of experience. It is responsible for 25% of all United States grain exports. The company also supplies about 22% of the US domestic meat market. With Cargill taking the first slot, we conclude our list of the 15 largest food companies in the world.