Food industries
Opportunity Brief
• The food industry is one of the most important strategic production sectors in the Egyptian economy, contributing significantly to the structure of Egyptian exports and creating thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities. It also helps meet the needs of the local market and export to regional and global markets. Agricultural crops are the primary inputs for agricultural manufacturing, which in turn represents the largest subsector of the food industry. The Egyptian government continues its efforts to invest in agricultural manufacturing projects to increase food production.
• The sector contributes 14% of total non-petroleum exports, ranking third among various industrial sectors, and contributes 24.5% of the gross domestic product. Furthermore, it employs 24% of the workforce and provides approximately 2 million job opportunities with investments amounting to EGP 500 billion.
• In 2024, the food industries sector continued its outstanding performance, with exports reaching $6.1 billion. The sector possesses the potential and capabilities to compete in the Egyptian and global markets, both in terms of raw materials used for production. Egypt is also bound by a system of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements with a large number of countries,
and the establishment of the National Food Safety Authority in 2017, enabling Egyptian products to reach countries around the world.
• The food market size in Egypt is expected to reach approximately USD 173.47 billion in 2025. The market is expected to grow annually at a CAGR of 9.07% (2025-2030) (Statista Market Research data).
The sector comprises nine sub-sectors, according to the Food Industries Chamber of the Federation of Egyptian Industries. The sector’s ability to provide local food security and grow exports of some distinctive products with manufacturing capabilities and global standing is a positive indicator that demonstrates the capabilities of this strategic sector and demonstrates the world’s growing confidence in Egyptian products.
Vegetable and fruit food preparations:
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, Egypt’s fruit and vegetable production reached approximately
14.7 million tons and 16.1 million tons in 2020, respectively. Given Egypt’s diverse climate, natural vegetation, soil type, and appropriate agricultural practices, manufacturers can increase production for both the local and global markets.
Essential oils and resins:
Egypt has demonstrated remarkable superiority in exporting essential oils, resins, and related products to global markets in recent years. European countries, such as France, Germany, England, Spain, and Switzerland, topped Egypt’s export markets, as did the United States, China, India, and other markets, with total exports reaching $500,000 by 2023.
sugar and its derivatives:
This sub-sector includes sugar and chocolate products. Egypt exports sugar produced from sugarcane and sugar beet crops, as well as products based on them, such as molasses, chewing gum, halva, glucose, sucrose, and fructose. For the confectionery sector, the confectionery sector revenue in Egypt (according to Statista Market Research data) is estimated at approximately USD 26.81 billion in 2024, and the market is expected to grow annually by 8.11% during the period from 2024 to 2028. Production volume is expected to reach 3.67 billion kg by 2028, and the confectionery market is expected to show a volume growth of 1.2% in 2025. As for the chocolate and its products market, which includes all chocolate- based products including packaged chocolate, chocolate bars, and chocolate-covered bars, Egypt’s exports of chocolate and cocoa-based preparations increased by 193% in February 2023 compared to February 2023, recording approximately $14.8 million compared to $5.07 million.
Frozen vegetables:
Vegetables play a significant role in Egypt’s agricultural production. Frozen vegetables are a very important industry, given the huge amount of vegetables Egypt produces. This is evident in the increase in the area planted with agricultural crops from 636,169 hectares in 2018 to 639,118 hectares in 2021. According to the FAO, Egypt’s total vegetable production reached 15.57 million tons in 2021. This significant increase in the harvested area and production of these crops is due to the preference given to these crops due to their high returns compared to other field crops. Egypt is famous for its exports of frozen artichokes, dried garlic and onions, semi- processed potatoes, and frozen peas, as these products are distinguished by Egypt and are in high global demand.
Frozen strawberries:
Egypt is among the world’s leading producers and exporters of the crop, ranking third globally in terms of production volume and first globally in terms of frozen strawberry exports. The crop is extensively cultivated in the governorates of Qalyubia, Beheira, and Sharqia. The most prominent varieties are “Friggo” and “Fortuna.” 215,000 tons of frozen strawberries were produced in 2022 (source: Suppliers Intelligence report).
Cereal-based preparations (bakery products):
This sub-sector includes flour products such as bread, biscuits, paste, and pasta. The latest report by IMARC Group on Global Bakery Industry Trends, Growth, Opportunities, and Forecasts for the years 2023-2028 shows the growth and size of the global bakery products market reaching approximately USD 497.5 billion in 2022. The market value is expected to reach USD 625.9 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 3.7% during the period 2023-2028, which will stimulate increased exports from countries with manufacturing and export capacity to countries around the world. Regarding the pasta market, Statista Market Research data indicated that the global pasta market size reached USD 68.35 billion in 2023, and is expected to grow from USD 71.42 billion in 2024 to USD 100.24 billion by 2032, at a CAGR of 5.47% during the forecast period 2024-2032. The pasta market revenue in Egypt reached approximately USD 2.6 billion in 2024, and the market is expected to grow annually at a rate of 10.6% during the period 2024-2028.
Dairy and its derivatives:
The dairy market is one of the most important sectors in Egypt, as it is an industry that requires precision and care in manufacturing, whether it is packaging milk, yogurt, or cheese. Egypt’s dairy production is approximately 7 million tons annually, while the gap between consumption and production is estimated at approximately 2.2 million tons annually, which is compensated by importing dried milk (milk powder). Egypt has many companies operating in this field with high technology and investments. Among the players in the Egyptian market, Lamar, Beyti, and Domty focus on exports, while Juhayna, Almarai, and Obour Land dominate the local markets. According to Statista, the cheese market is expected to reach $2.28 billion in revenue in 2024, and the market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.23% from 2024 to 2028, reaching a total of 181.3 million kg by 2028.
First The most important indicators of the sector:
Second Industrial sub sectors:
Third Commercial performance of export sub sectors:
