424440

Analysis

NAICS 424440 is the 2022 national industry for poultry and poultry product merchant wholesalers, part of 42444 (Poultry and Poultry Product Merchant Wholesalers). Census lists 11 example activities under it in the official index.

Between 2018 and 2023 the number of establishments fell 18% and employment fell 15%. 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.

County Business Patterns counts 407 US establishments in this code in 2023, employing 8,296 people at an average annual payroll of $64,189 per employee (41st percentile of national industries). 43% of the establishments have fewer than five employees, which is close to the national mix.

Its index entries, the activities Census uses to assign businesses to this code, include chicken and chicken products (except canned and packaged…, deli meats, poultry, merchant wholesalers, eggs merchant wholesalers and fresh poultry merchant wholesalers, among 11 in all.

Census lists 4 related activities that belong elsewhere, most often in 424420, 424490, 424590 and 311615. 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.

For example, merchant wholesale distribution of packaged frozen poultry are classified in 424420 (Packaged Frozen Food Merchant Wholesalers) instead.