This section provides Food Business links and resources to assist your startup or small business. Additionally, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!
Food Business Industry Overview
The food business industry consists in the production, processing and distribution of food products. The emphasis of this section is on the sectors that manipulate raw foods to create and distribute consumable food products. Given the broad nature of the industry, this page is divided into subsections based on the end-products.
Food Business Resources
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration Food Industry – information, resources, and other items of interest for food industry members
- The Food Institute – food industry news, data, and trends (public resources and member-only content)
- Cornell Food Venture Center – services, outreach and research development opportunities in business and product process development, product safety, process/product technology transfer and product commercialization
Organic, Plant Based Foods & Produce
- USDA National Organic Program – national standards for organically produced products
- Organic Trade Association – The Organic Trade Association works to promote organic products in the marketplace and to protect the integrity of organic standards
- The Packer – news, information & analysis for the fresh fruit and vegetable industry
- United Fresh Produce Association – resources, education & advocacy for the produce industry
- Produce Marketing Association – news & analysis impacting every segment of the global fresh produce and floral supply chain
- Plant Based Foods Association – education, data, and resources for food industries
- New Hope Network – natural product, and healthy food and beverage trends
- The Cornucopia Institute – engages in educational activities supporting the ecological principles and economic wisdom underlying sustainable and organic agriculture through research and investigations on agricultural issues
- Fresh Plaza – news about the global fresh produce industry
- Organic Materials Review Institute – information and guidance about materials, so producers know which products are appropriate for organic operations
Biotech Food
- Guide to Understanding GMOs
- Institute of Food Technologists – news from this professional society for food science and technology
- International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications – biotech information resources
- Biotech Infographic – useful statistics about the biotech industry
Meat, Poultry & Seafood
- American Association of Meat Processors – education, regulatory representation & resources for the meat industry (mostly for members)
- North American Meat Institute – fact sheets, publication & industry analysis for meat and poultry companies
- The Meat Site – news, analysis and resources for the meat industries
- Seafood News – news, market data & analysis for the seafood industry
- NOAA Fisheries – research, data & tools for the nation’s ocean resources and their habitat
- The Fish Site – news, analysis and resources for the aquaculture and commercial fishing industries
- The Poultry Site – news, analysis and resources for the poultry industries
- The Pig Site – news, analysis and resources for the pork industries
Dairy Products
- American Dairy Products Institute – resources for the dairy ingredient industry
- Dairy Foods – news and resources for the dairy business. See State of the Industry report under the Magazine tab
- Dairy Reporter – news, trends & resources for the dairy industry
- International Dairy Federation – news, publications, facts & figures for the international dairy industry
- International Dairy Foods Association – news & resources for the dairy manufacturing, marketing industries & their suppliers (mostly for members)
- American Cheese Society – education & resources for the cheese industry
- National Yogurt Association – the national non-profit trade organization representing the manufacturers and marketers of live and active culture yogurt products as well as suppliers to the yogurt industry
Food Processing
- Food Online – News and resources about the food processing industry.
- Food Processing and Packaging Industry Resources – trend studies, buyer’s guide, food safety, and other resources for the processing and packaging industries
- Food Processing & Packaging – from Institute of Food Technologists, scientific and engineering information to improve the quality, efficiency, and sustainability of processing and packaging
- Food Processing – suppliers, events, research, and reports (available for download when providing contact information)
- National Frozen and Refrigerated Food Association – research available through member access
- Prepared Foods – reports, trends & resources for prepared foods industry
Grocery & Retail
- National Grocers Association – research and education for independent supermarket industry
- Grocery Manufacturers Association – resources and tools in the consumer packaged goods industry
- Progressive Grocer – industry news, reports, research & analysis on the grocer industry
- Supermarket Facts – research from the Food Marketing Institute
- Supermarket News – news & trends affecting the supermarket industry
- Specialty Food Association – information and resources for food artisans, importers and entrepreneurs
- Food Marketing Institute – A nonprofit association which provides industry links, statistics and publications for grocery stores.
Bakery & Snack Foods
- American Bakers Association – resources, education & information about the wholesale baking industry
- Bakery & Snacks – news, trends & resources for the bakery and snack industries
- Baking Business – resources & analysis for the baking and snack industry
- International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association – research and resources for industry professionals
- National Confectioners Association – data & insights for the confectionery industry
- Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery – industry trends related to new products, ingredients, equipment, technology and packaging for the snack food & bakery wholesale industries. State of the Industry overviews under the Magazine tab.
- Snack Food Association – educational resources, connection opportunities, supplier guide, and advocacy for the snack industry (some material available for members only)
Additional Resources
Already in business or thinking about starting your own small business? Check out our various Small Business Snapshots, such as our Full-Service Restaurant Business and Bakery Business report, as well as our Sample Business Plans collection. See our Full-Service Restaurant Business report
Remember, you can also receive free professional business advice and free or low-cost business training from your local Small Business Development Center!
Photo by Fikri Rasyid on Unsplash
