Germany: Food Processing Ingredients

Following stagnation in 2020 and decline in 2021, the German food processing industry still cannot catch up with the growth dynamics of pre-pandemic period. According to BVE initial estimates, total sales of US$201.3 billion were generated across all sub-sectors in 2021, which is 1.6 percent lower than the previous year. A moderate increase in prices and rising exports somewhat softened this decline. However, the German food industry continues to struggle with subdued private consumer spending, results of COVID-19 related measures, and rising production costs, which are difficult to impose on customers. COVID-19 related lockdowns and physical distancing measures heavily impacted the German food sector, as well as shopping and consumption patterns of German consumers. The look into the future is mixed. Based on the latest survey conducted by the Federation of German Food and Drink Industries (BVE), the majority of companies expect stagnating results for 2022.