These 5 Companies Own Most Of The World's Largest Food, Beverage Brands

Food collage
Flickr

Every major food and beverage brand in the world is controlled by 10 corporate giants—Associated British Foods, Coca-Cola, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg's, Mars, Mondelez, Nestlé, PepsiCo and Unilever.

These companies make billions of dollars every year and employ thousands upon thousands of people around the world, but most of us don't realize how connected the brands we buy are to the few companies that own them. Bisnow decided to zoom in on five of these gigantic firms to get a better idea of the products they sell.

1. Nestlé

Kit Kat

HQ: Vevey, Switzerland

H1 2016 Revenue: $43.95B

Total 2015 Revenue: $87B

Nestlé is the largest food company in the world by revenue, selling over 2,000 brands, including everything from Nespresso to Kit Kats and Gerber baby food to Perrier. Twenty-nine of its brands have annual sales totaling more than $1B, and the firm also owns a 30% stake in L'Oreal, the world's largest cosmetics company.

2. PespiCo

Quaker Oats

HQ: Purchase, NY

Q2 2016 Revenue: $15.39B

Total 2015 Revenue: $63B

Owner of much more than Pepsi; Gatorade, Tropicana, bottled Starbucks Frappuccinos, Cheetos and Quaker Oats all trace back to this conglomerate. It's the second-largest food and beverage business in the world and boasts 22 brands with retail sales topping $1B apiece. As of 2015, PepsiCo's product mix consisted of 53% foods and 47% beverages, based on worldwide net revenue.

3. The Coca-Cola Co

honest tea

HQ: Atlanta

Q2 2016 Revenue: $11.54B

Total 2015 Revenue: $44.3B

Coca-Cola is the biggest selling soft drink in history, and unlike its rival PepsiCo, Coke only focuses on beverages—which is a lot more diverse than you might think.

It owns more than 500 beverage brands in the world, 20 of which pull in more than $1B a year. To name a few, the company owns Sprite, Powerade, Dasani and Honest Tea.

4. General Mills

Annie's

HQ: Minneapolis

Q1 2017 Revenue: $3.9B

Total 2015 Revenue: $17.6B

General Mills produces and markets over 100 brands in more than 100 countries, owning many household staples like Yoplait, Pillsbury and Cheerios. The firm also owns organic food producer Annie's, Haagen-Dazs, Hamburger Helper and Betty Crocker.

5. Kellogg's

nutri grain

HQ: Battle Creek, MI

Q2 2016 Revenue: $3.26B

Total 2015 Revenue: $13.5B

Kellogg's is best-known for its cereal brands, which include Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes and Apple Jacks, but the company is more diverse than many consumers realize. It's also behind Cheez-It, Pringles, Nutri-Grain and the largest vegetarian food producer in the US, Morningstar Farms.

Continue reading this story with a free account

Log in or register
Sign up for more articles like this
Subscribe to Bisnow's National Newsletters
Related Stories

Lawmakers Punt On Stripping Approvals From 15 Projects In Data Center Alley

Success Of Top-Tier Malls Masks Enduring Distress In Sector's Underbelly

HUD Launches Investigation Into Wells Fargo's Efforts To Support Black Homeownership

Delaware Statutory Trust Fundraising Jumps 27% From 2025

Bank OZK Shares Drop After Citi Flags $915M Mortgage Concern

Soaring Yields Strand REITs In M&A No-Man's-Land

How UK Investment Giant L&G Plans To Grow Its U.S. Multifamily Holdings

Properties Owned By REIT Accused Of Fraud To Be Auctioned Off

LS Power Raises $6B To Capitalize On Data Center Power Demand

DHS Buys 3 More Detention Facilities From The Geo Group For $950M

CRE Finance Sentiment Index Falls To 3-Year Low As Economic Fears Mount

Oprah-Backed Health Food Chain Files For Bankruptcy, Seeks To Exit Leases