Australia’s top 100 food and beverage suppliers

Australia’s top 100 food and beverage companies have been listed, with Fonterra taking out the top spot.

In partnership with IBISWorld. Food & Drink Business has published its annual list of the key players within Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, ranked according to revenue generated.

Combined, Australia’s 100 largest food and beverage companies generated more than $103 billion in revenue, which is a $3 billion increase on last year.

Fonterra held onto its number one ranking, and Coca-Cola Amatil jumped from third spot in 2015 to second, pushing Lion Nathan into third place.

Other notable movements include A2's rise from 100th spot to 59th and Sydney Fish Market’s removal from the list after being ranked 96th in 2015. Newcomer AACo was previously excluded from the list because most of its revenue came from cattle farming, however its revenue generated from meat processing has now overtaken farming revenue, earning it a spot on the 2016 list.

The five newcomers to this year’s list are:

1.  AACo (debuting at number 33)
2. Bellamy’s Organic (number 76)
3. Lindt (number 85)
4. Nolan Meats (number 89)
5. One Harvest (number 90)

In decline
The companies with the largest declines on this year’s list are Northern Co-operative Meat Company (falling from 81 to 60) and Beam Global (falling from 73 to 98).

“A key factor for Northern Co-operative Meat Company’s decline was the closure of its Casino processing plant. The decline for Beam Global is attributed to health campaigns influencing per capita alcohol consumption, price competition between downstream supermarket operators, and mounting competition from imports,” said senior enterprise researcher, Celine Pascal.

On the rise
Companies in the dairy and infant formula markets exhibited the most significant growth. Meat processing companies and abattoirs have benefited from rapidly rising meat prices, fuelled by livestock shortages and strong demand, both domestically and abroad. Major movers on this year’s list include Freedom Foods, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter and Fletcher International Exports.

“A2 Milk, which jumped from 100 on the list last year to 59 this year, has enjoyed success on the back of growth in both the Australia and New Zealand, and Chinese markets,” said Pascal.

The top 10 companies on the list of 100 are:

1.  Fonterra
2. Coca-Cola Amatil
3. Lion Nathan
4. JBS Australia (same ranking as 2015)
5. Bidvest (up from 7th spot)
6. Teys (same ranking as 2015)
7. Murray Goulburn (down from 5th position)
8. Ingham’s (same ranking as 2015)
9. Treasury Wine Estates (up from number 13, to replace George Weston Foods)
10. Carlton & United Breweries (up from number 12, to replace Nestle)