Panorama of the French food industry

The agri-food industry (IAA), which has gradually developed in line with human, technological, scientific and economic changes, today has a multitude of raw materials at its disposal and produces a wide variety of foods. It is a strategic sector for a nation, as the recent Covid 19 coronavirus pandemic has once again demonstrated.

In its broadest definition, including the tobacco industry and the artisanal and commercial activities of charcuterie and bakery-pastry, the food industry is a major industrial sector in France in terms of jobs, sales and added value. In a more restricted definition, the food industry is made up of almost 11,600 companies (as defined by the NAF 10 nomenclature) and the agri-food industry of over 15,000 (including companies in the beverage manufacturing sector, as defined by the NAF 11 nomenclature).

After taking stock of the structural characteristics of the food industry, where micro-businesses and SMEs are key players, where the weight of certain sectors is considerable, and where very different business models co-exist, this article looks at :

• economic aspects of the sector, a positive contributor to France's trade balance;

• of the issues and challenges facing the food industry in the years ahead, if it is to remain competitive, rebalance trade relations between industry players, and bolster the confidence of consumers whose expectations are constantly evolving.

At the end of the article, readers will find a glossary and a table of acronyms.