A quick browse through the grocery markets and food stores will introduce you to various names active in the global food industry – brands always known for their high quality and variety, among the best of the best. Which of these famous food brands around the world do you recognize? Which name has caught your attention the most and become your favorite among the brands for food, snacks, beverages, and more?
Likely, the first thing that has made a brand popular and well-known is its quality, followed by the story behind that brand. The most famous food brands in the world are no exception to this rule – in addition to their other important features, they also possess these two qualities. Do you know these famous brands that have captured a significant market share and report staggeringly high annual sales figures? If you don’t know them, reading this article will help you find the answers. Stay with us at Foodex Iran Magazine.
Famous Global Food Brands
These days, good quality and taste alone are not enough for a food company to be considered one of the best brands in the world. Environmental impacts, commercial sales, and fluctuating business conditions pose significant challenges for food companies worldwide. Even the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on these brands cannot be ignored. If we were to prioritize a list of the world’s top food brands based on their revenue, the numbers would likely lead us to these 10 famous food brands:
- Cargill
- Archer Daniels Midland Company
- Nestle
- Sysco Corporation
- Tyson Foods
- Mars
- PepsiCo
- Nutella
- Coca-Cola
- Danone
These companies are among the most famous food brands in the world and have managed to record the highest sales figures in 2020. All these brands or companies have numerous employees and representatives across the globe, earning billions of dollars in profit each year. This profit is not solely derived from the sales of their quality products but also from building customer loyalty to the brand, advertising campaigns, and participation in humanitarian and environmental activities that make people trust these brands as more than just commercial names, which has contributed to their place on this list.
Details on Famous Global Food Brands
We covered the famous food brands worldwide that have seen significant growth in the past year or two, but as mentioned, it’s not just high sales that have made these brands among the most famous in the world. Let’s discuss each brand in greater detail to learn more about it.
Cargill
There is a strong global demand for beef and eggs, which is one of the fundamental reasons for the growth of brands in this industry. Cargill is a food producer in the meat and dairy product sector, expanding and growing further in regions like China. Cargill has also seen the welcoming reception of its products as an important opportunity to expand its protein trade and, in addition to crossing various borders, offer more diverse products. This brand has 155,000 employees in the United States alone. It operates in 70 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
ADM is an active commercial company in the fields of agricultural services, oilseeds, carbohydrate solutions, and related food products. In 2018 and 2019, the company generated significant revenue from producing refined products in these sectors, resulting in nearly $270 million in net operating profit. ADM strives to prioritize its customers’ health and quality of life by using organic, healthy, and suitable raw materials.
Nestle
Fewer coffee, beverage, milk, and ice cream enthusiasts worldwide are unfamiliar with the Nestle brand. The company’s net sales grew by 1.2% to reach $95.3 billion, with a significant portion of that revenue coming from the food trade, including dairy and ice cream products, nutritional science and health, culinary aids, confectionery, and pet care. The company’s plant-based food products, like the Sweet Earth Awesome Burger and Garden Gourmet Incredible Burger, witnessed double-digit organic growth and recorded sales of $205.9 million.
The multinational giant Nestle has many subsidiaries. After years of consecutive success in the food industry, Nestle took a step further and is now one of the major shareholders of the cosmetics and personal care company L’Oreal.
Sysco Corporation
Sysco is another well-known and reputable brand that produces food and meat/dairy products. In 2019, fresh and frozen meats, canned and dry products, and frozen fruits and vegetables accounted for 19%, 17%, and 15%, respectively, of the company’s net sales. Restaurants are Sysco’s primary customers, and most of the brand’s food products are sold wholesale to chain restaurants and stores. Based in Houston, United States, Sysco has nearly 323 distribution centers worldwide and over 69,000 employees.
Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods’ sales in 2019 grew by 6% compared to the same period the previous year, driven by acquisitions and an increase in average selling prices in the beef and prepared foods segments. Tyson Foods sells its products to nearly 145 countries, with key markets including Australia, Canada, Central America, Chile, China, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, the Middle East, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand. The company’s leading brands include:
- Tyson
- Jimmy Dean
- Hillshire Farm
- Ball Park
- Wright
- Aidells
- IBP
- State Fair
Mars
The Mars brand is so well-known that you’ve undoubtedly seen its products at least once in various stores and supermarkets. This British company initially started by producing chocolate and candy but now manufactures multiple products in food, pet food, and other categories.
PepsiCo
The famous PepsiCo brand of carbonated beverages and sodas – one of the world’s most well-known food brands – needs no introduction. You can easily find its sodas and products in different stores and supermarkets. Based in the United States, PepsiCo owns popular brands like Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, and Quaker, serving over 200 countries and regions, including North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, China, Australia, New Zealand, and South Asia.
Mondelez
The US-based Mondelez brand offers snacks, including biscuits, chocolate, gum and candies, cheese, food products, and powdered beverages in over 150 countries across Latin America, North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Popular Mondelez brands include Cadbury, Milka, Toblerone, Oreo, belVita, LU, Halls, and Trident—products you can also find in the Iranian market. The company distributes in nearly 80 countries worldwide and has over 80,000 employees and workers.
Coca-Cola
For soda enthusiasts, Coca-Cola is one of the most well-known and certainly one of the ever-present choices. Coca-Cola was first produced in America by Dr. John Pemberton. However, Pemberton aimed to create a unique brain tonic beverage.
Coca-Cola’s sales began at $50 in its first year but remained at the top of global sales and became one of the most prominent soda brands over the years. Coca-Cola’s success is not just due to its unique formula but also creative advertising, delivering high-quality products, and keeping pace with market needs, like producing a special soda for diabetics. All of these factors have contributed to Coca-Cola’s success today.
Nutella
You’d be hard-pressed to find someone in the world who isn’t a chocolate fan; among chocolate lovers, most have a favorite brand – Nutella.
Nutella is better known as a producer of chocolate spreads, with its unique, delicious, and magical combination of chocolate and hazelnut. This brand was first produced in Italy by the Ferrero family, primarily due to the high cost of cocoa at the time. Ferrero combined cocoa with hazelnuts, his hometown’s primary product, resulting in an extraordinary blend that not only has global fame today but has also made Ferrero the third-largest confectionery and chocolate producer in the world.
Danone
Unlike the brands we’ve introduced so far, which were all food producers, Danone is a multinational company that operates as a health-focused brand in the food and beverage sector with various subsidiaries. In fact, companies work under the Danone umbrella, producing dairy products, plant-based foods, baby food, and medical nutrition.
Until 2020, Danone exported its products to over 120 countries worldwide and achieved sales of $25.3 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 100,000 workers and 55 branches in different countries, this major food company is one of the largest food producers globally.
Danone was first established by a Greek physician named Isaac Carasso in the Spanish city of Barcelona but is currently headquartered in Paris. However, Danone also underwent a rebranding and changed its name to the current Danone in 2009.
Final Thoughts
We discussed the most famous foreign food brands with you. It was probably interesting to learn that various food products and snacks you’ve enjoyed until now are among the top-selling global market giants. Which of these brands do you recognize? What experiences do you have consuming products from which companies and brands, and what products have satisfied you with their quality? Please share your experiences and knowledge with us at Foodexiran.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the famous food brands around the world?
Brands like Cargill, ADM, Nestle, Sysco, Tyson Foods, Mars, PepsiCo, and Mondelez are the most famous food brands worldwide. These brands had the highest sales and demand in 2019 and 2020.
Which food brands have had the largest sales markets in recent years?
The Cargill brand, with $113.5 billion, and then the ADM brand record, showed the highest sales figures in these two years. These brands have entered the markets of various countries in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and Africa.
What is the best food brand?
The best food brands in the world, based on their popularity and longevity, are Coca-Cola, Nutella, Ringle, and Mars. These brands have captured a significant market share. They are among the most popular in the industry, attracting attention for many years.
