Our strategic world survey was carried out starting from the Food Intelligence global database “WFC 1000” (World Food Companies 1000). This study is a strategic presentation & analysis of the 100 major food companies of the world.
It includes a ranking that gives for each firm its global net sales and its food net sales.
The rank awarded to the company is a function of food net sales exclusively.
Net sales are expressed in € million (millions of Euros). The figures are those of the last closed fiscal year (ending in 2010 or in 2011) published by the companies (very exceptionally estimated by Food Intelligence). Net sales are converted in Euros (€ millions) on a 2009-2010 full year average exchange rates basis (from 1/9 2009 to 31/8 2010)
FOOD UNIVERSE
The “food and beverages" products sphere adopted by Food Intelligence rests in fact on a widened meaning of the “agri-food” term. This universe includes all the activities taking their source in agriculture, fishing or aquiculture, whatever are the final stage (processed or not…) and the final use of the foodstuff - food/feed or not (bio-energy, materials, molecules…) - given that “traditional” non-food (e.g.: “conventional” textile like cotton, decorative horticulture…) - except as a minority and dependent activity - should be excluded, if possible.
For “ethical” reasons tobacco industry has been excluded…
The universe includes the “internal” inputs of the end products (e.g.: raw materials of course, but also seeds, animal selection & breeding or animal nutrition, ingredients, etc…). It can also include, but only as a minority or dependent activity, products having a simple role of “maintenance”, protection, improvement or growth of the plants or animals (e.g.: fertilisers, plant health, animal health…).
But it does not include, in theory, the “external” inputs of the end products (in particular: packaging, tools, production or transformation equipment, agricultural machinery…). Non-renewable energy and renewable energy having a non-agricultural origin are excluded.
The “food” universe not only includes physical “products” but can also include “services”, in particular those intended for the farmers…
COMPANIES
Food Intelligence only take into account the companies carrying out at least 50% of their activity (in terms of sales) in the agri-food industry (in the broad sense, as indicated above) except if this activity, even minority, is clearly identifiable (preferably in a specific structure…) and, above all, clearly considered as a strategic business / segment for these groups.
For this reason groups whose distribution / logistic (e.g.: food retailing) or foodservice activities are in a majority in their total sales are normally excluded, except when food manufacturing activities are clearly identifiable (as explained above) and…measurable (ex.: Intermarché food manufacturing business could be in the top 100 if it was identifiable) !
A contrario, when these activities are in the minority they can be integrated with food businesses in the perimeter of “food” net sales…
Big beverage companies which are acting principally and directly as “bottlers” (under Coca-Cola, Pepsi and the like brands), even if they also sell under proprietary brands, are not eligible for our ranking.
As far as possible Food Intelligence only take into consideration the whole industrial group and not such or such subsidiary belonging to it…
However, given the independence of their different food subsidiaries some conglomerates had to be excluded - at least partially - of the scope.
Of course, beyond the widened vision to which Food Intelligence has given priority, the extent to which such or such group has been taken into account in this ranking is more a question of “bon sens” than a question of theoretical definitions or even of common criteria and segmentations people are accustomed to use or think with.
More on Food Intelligence and/or the WFC Top 100 :
