Number of food enterprises

The food industry is the fourth largest industry in Finland, and its turnover was EUR 11.4 billion in 2019.

According to a survey conducted by Luke, all elements of the food industry, including agriculture, food industry, wholesale, retail and catering services, have a significant impact on Finland's economy. The industry employs nearly 340,000 people, comprising 13 per cent of all employees.

The number of food industry enterprises increased slightly in Mainland Finland and the whole of Finland from 2018 to 2019. The number of beverage manufacturing enterprises increased. The number of food industry enterprises has increased slightly in urban areas but decreased correspondingly in rural areas. In 2019, there were 1,744 food and beverage manufacturing enterprises in Mainland Finland and 1,775 in the whole country. Most of them were microenterprises. About half of these enterprises are in rural areas (881 enterprises in the whole country and 839 in Mainland Finland).

In the food and beverage industry, about 65% of enterprises have less than five employees. Enterprises sell most of their products in their own region (53%), while more than one third (37%) of all enterprises sell most of their products in their own municipality or sub-region.

The indicator measures the development of food industry enterprises by agricultural region.

Statistics Finland produces information about the number of food enterprises in rural areas.

This is one of the national impact indicators of the 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme for Mainland Finland.

The indicator will next be updated in spring 2024.