NAICS 2022
311
Food Manufacturing
Analysis
NAICS 311 is the 2022 subsector for food manufacturing. Census lists 860 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 31,130 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 1,707,316 people at an average annual payroll of $55,880 per employee (26th percentile of national industries). 35% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments grew 12% and employment rose 9%. The 2018 count used NAICS 2017, so part of a large move can come from codes being redefined rather than from businesses opening or closing.
Across its national industries Census lists 860 index entries; typical ones are animal feed mills, dog and cat, manufacturing, alfalfa meal, dehydrated, manufacturing, barley flour manufacturing and bran and other residues of milling rice.
Its goods appear in 1663 statistical lines of the US tariff schedule, mostly under headings 0406 (cheese and curd), 2008 (fruit, nuts and other edible parts of plants, otherwise…) and 1901 (malt extract; food preparations of flour, groats, meal…). That link is how import data is matched to domestic producers, for example in trade-remedy cases.
It splits into 9 more detailed codes. The largest by establishments is 3118 (Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing) with 13,577.
Official definition
Industries in the Food Manufacturing subsector transform livestock and agricultural products into products for intermediate or final consumption. The industry groups are distinguished by the raw materials (generally of animal or vegetable origin) processed into food products.
The food products manufactured in these establishments are typically sold to wholesalers or retailers for distribution to consumers, but establishments primarily engaged in retailing bakery and candy products made on the premises not for immediate consumption are included.
Establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing beverages are classified in Subsector 312, Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Index entries (860)
- Animal feed mills, dog and cat, manufacturing
- Alfalfa meal, dehydrated, manufacturing
- Barley flour manufacturing
- Bran and other residues of milling rice
- Barley, malt, manufacturing
- Corn dextrin manufacturing
- Canola (rapeseed) oil, cake and meal, made in crushing mills
- Butter substitutes made from purchased oils
- Breakfast cereals manufacturing
- Beet pulp, dried, manufacturing
- Blackstrap molasses manufacturing
- Breakfast bars, nonchocolate covered, manufacturing
- Baking chocolate made from cacao beans
- Baking chocolate made from purchased chocolate
- Blast freezing on a contract basis
- Chop suey, frozen, manufacturing
- Artichokes, canned, manufacturing
- Baby foods (including meats) canning
- Bouillon made in dehydration plants
- Acidophilus milk manufacturing
- Anhydrous butterfat manufacturing
- Cheese (except cottage cheese) manufacturing
- Baby formula, fresh, processed, and bottled, manufacturing
- Custard, frozen, manufacturing
- Abattoirs
- Bacon, slab and sliced, made from purchased carcasses
- Animal fats rendering
- Canning poultry (except baby and pet food)
- Cannery, seafood
- Bakeries with baking from flour on the premises, retailing not for immediate consumption
- Bagels made in commercial bakeries
- Baked goods (except bread, bread-type rolls), frozen, manufacturing
- Bakery products, dry (e.g., biscuits, cookies, crackers), manufacturing
- Batters, prepared, made from purchased flour
- Tortillas manufacturing
- Canned nuts manufacturing
- Cheese curls and puffs manufacturing
- Coffee concentrates (i.e., instant coffee) manufacturing
- Beverage bases manufacturing
- Cheese based salad dressing manufacturing