Rebound of the Food Industry
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has published the Annual Report on the Food Industry 2021-2022 and the Report on Food Consumption in Spain 2021. Both documents point to growth and a return to normality in the food and beverage sector in terms of production, exports and consumption, both at home and abroad.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) has published the “Annual Food Industry Report 2021-2022“, a document that summarises the main indicators and magnitudes of the food industry, based on data previously published by the National Statistics Institute (INE).
The food and beverage industry is, without a doubt, one of the key sectors in the Spanish economy. So much so that it represents 2.5% of Spain’s GDP and is the leading manufacturing branch of our industrial sector.
Moreover, with a turnover of more than 126,000 M€, which represents 10.9% of the total, the Spanish food industry ranks fourth in the European Union, only behind France (19.5%), Germany (16.9%) and Italy (13.3%).
Focusing on the most relevant subsectors in terms of turnover, the Meat Industry stands out with 31,032 M€ (24.6%). It is followed by the subsector of Manufacture of Beverages with 16,912 M€ (13.4%) and Animal Feedstuffs with 14,746 M€ (11.7%).
Dominance of SMEs
According to data from the Food Industry Annual Report 2021-2022, the food, beverage and tobacco industry employed more than 500,000 people in Spain last year.
These employees work in a total of 30,260 companies dedicated to the food and beverage industry, according to the latest data from the INE’s Central Business Directory, of which 96.5% of them have fewer than 50 employees (29,214) and 79.5% have fewer than 10 employees (24,061).
From the perspective of the number of companies by subsectors, the Bakery and pasta sector occupies first place with 11,676 companies, a figure that represents more than 38.6% of the total, followed by the Manufacture of beverages (17.0%) and the Meat industry (11.7%).
Exports
With regard to foreign trade in processed food products, the report shows that, during 2021, the value of exports amounted to 37,821 M€ and that of imports to 25,125 M€. Thus, a positive balance of 12,696 M€ was recorded and a coverage rate of 151%.
Furthermore, according to provisional data from the MAPA’s Annual Report on Foreign Trade 2021, if we focus on the value of exports considering by product groups according to TARIC (Integrated Tariff of the European Communities), the most significant are those corresponding to Pigmeat with 5,501 M€, followed by Olive Oil 3,475 M€ and Wine 2,879 M€.
Food consumption
In addition, last July the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, presented the “Report on food consumption in Spain 2021“. A document that highlights a recovery in the consumption habits of Spaniards after the global pandemic caused by Covid-19.
Thus, during 2021, total food expenditure amounted to 102,552 M€, 0.5% higher than in 2020, but 2.8% lower than in 2019. Meanwhile, per capita expenditure was €2,425, 1.8% more than in 2020, which is €41.78 more per person per year, due to lower spending inside the home which is offset by higher spending outside the home (€147.74 more).
On the other hand, the growth in out-of-home consumption is consolidating as an indicator of the recovery of normality after the pandemic, with total spending on food and beverages outside the home in 2021 of €28,008 M, 23.2% higher than the previous year, but still 22.1% below the value reached in 2019.
Key sector for our business
The agri-food sector has always been key to the development of our activity, both from the point of view of Engineering and Innovation Consulting. More than 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry guarantee the specialisation of our team of professionals, 65% of whom are agricultural engineers.
Sectors such as meat, dairy and wine are the most important pillars on which the trajectory of our company is based, although we also have extensive experience in the fruit and vegetable industry, dough, ready meals and fish processing.
Although traditionally our activity has always been – and still is – closely linked to the agri-food industry, more than 12 years ago we extended our field of action to other key sectors such as nutrition and related sectors with high health standards.
