Statistics published today show the food and drink industry in Wales grew by 10% last year.
Businesses in the sector had a total turnover of £24.6bn in 2023, compared to £22.3bn in 2022.
The statistics are for the food and drink supply chain, which contains manufacturing and packaging, agriculture and fishing, retail and wholesale, and non-residential catering.
The number of businesses increased by 1%, to 28,768 in 2023. The food and drink supply chain employed 228,500 people in Wales in 2023, equivalent to 17% of Wales’ total workforce.
The Welsh Government set a target to grow the value of the ‘food foundation’ sector to at least £8.5 billion by 2025. The sector includes businesses that produce, process, manufacture and wholesale food and drink goods, some of which receive direct support from Food and Drink Wales. The sector had a turnover of £9.3bn in 2023, with the £8.5bn target being reached two years early.
The statistics have been published alongside Food Matters: Wales by the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change at the Royal Welsh Show today.
Food Matters: Wales has been produced to bring together the Welsh Government’s food-related policies into one document. It brings together policies which directly support the agri-food industry and natural resource management, and wider food-related policies across health, education, sustainability, communities and the economy.
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