Analysis
NAICS 31131 is the 2022 NAICS industry for sugar manufacturing, part of 3113 (Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing). Census lists 35 example activities under it in the official index.
County Business Patterns counts 83 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 14,778 people at an average annual payroll of $74,260 per employee (60th percentile of national industries). 7% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which points to larger operations.
By establishments it ranks 3rd of the 3 codes at this level within Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing, with 4.3% of them.
Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 9% and employment rose 7%. 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 35 index entries; typical ones are beet pulp, dried, manufacturing and blackstrap molasses manufacturing.
Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 31122, 31199, 11199 and 325. Businesses that do several things are classified by their primary activity, the one that generates the most value, so check those boundaries before settling on this code.
Official definition
This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in manufacturing raw sugar, liquid sugar, and refined sugar from sugarcane, raw cane sugar and sugar beets.
Source: US Census Bureau, NAICS 2022 Manual.
Not this code if…
| The business mainly does | Use instead |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing corn sweeteners by wet milling corn | 31122 Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing |
| Manufacturing table syrups from corn syrup and starch base dessert powders | 31199 All Other Food Manufacturing |
| Reducing maple sap to maple syrup or maple sugar | 11199 All Other Crop Farming |
| Manufacturing synthetic sweeteners (i.e., sweetening agents), such as saccharin and sugar substitutes (i.e., synthetic sweetener blended with other ingredients) | 325 Chemical Manufacturing |
Index entries (35)
- Beet pulp, dried, manufacturing
- Blackstrap molasses manufacturing