The global canned food market reached about $36 billion in revenue in 2022. It is projected to grow at 4.0% annually as the industry addresses a critical challenge: roughly half of all global food losses occur after harvest and during processing.
Key Takeaways
- 1.9 million tonnes of canned seafood (fish, crustaceans, molluscs) were exported globally in 2022, worth about $6.6 billion, indicating large and trade-driven global canning demand
- 4.0% compound annual growth is projected for the global canned food market during 2024–2032 (CAGR), suggesting sustained market expansion
- Germany produced about 2.6 million tonnes of canned vegetables and fruits in 2022 (production volume), reflecting EU processing capacity relevant to canning
- Roughly 45–50% of food losses between harvest and retail occur at the post-harvest and processing stages globally, underscoring the role of preservation methods like canning
- FAO reports that per-capita food availability increased globally from about 2,800 kcal/day in the early 2000s to around 3,000 kcal/day in recent years (trend supports steady demand for preserved foods including canned items)
- In 2023, the global retail cold chain capacity and food storage infrastructure investments exceeded $100 billion (investment context for competing preservation vs shelf-stable canning)
- In 2021, the global number of food safety incidents involving adulteration/contamination was in the thousands (exact incident counts vary by system), reinforcing the need for robust thermal processing verification in canning
- In EU HACCP guidance, food businesses must implement HACCP principles; this applies to all food processing including canning operations under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004
- WHO estimates that foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people globally annually, supporting continued demand for safe shelf-stable foods
- In a landmark review, thermal processing lethality is often quantified via F0 values; achieving the required lethality targets is the core performance basis for commercial sterility in canned foods
- Autoclave retort systems commonly track process parameters via temperature and come-up time profiles, and deviation from set points can affect microbial lethality and quality outcomes
- Retort come-up time is a critical driver of total lethality; reductions in come-up time can increase energy efficiency while maintaining target sterility depending on validation
- In the U.S., industrial natural gas prices averaged about $6.59 per million Btu in 2023, impacting retort fuel costs for canning plants
- In the U.S., industrial electricity prices averaged about 11.4 cents per kWh in 2023, influencing operational costs for steam/retort heating and processing lines
- U.S. wages and benefits costs rose in line with producer labor inflation; in 2023, the U.S. Employment Cost Index increased 1.1% for total compensation (Q4 over Q4), affecting labor cost structures in food processing
In 2022, 1.9 million tonnes of canned seafood worth $6.6 billion highlights strong global demand for safe, shelf stable canning.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size8 stats
01
1.9 million tonnes of canned seafood (fish, crustaceans, molluscs) were exported globally in 2022, worth about $6.6 billion, indicating large and trade-driven global canning demand
02
4.0% compound annual growth is projected for the global canned food market during 2024–2032 (CAGR), suggesting sustained market expansion
03
Germany produced about 2.6 million tonnes of canned vegetables and fruits in 2022 (production volume), reflecting EU processing capacity relevant to canning
04
In 2023, the global packaging market was valued at about $1.02 trillion, giving a scale reference for packaging inputs used by canners (cans, lids, labels)
05
In 2023, the global food packaging market for rigid plastic and metal segments showed multi-billion-dollar scale, underscoring packaging input cost and procurement relevance
06
In 2023, the global processed fruit and vegetable market exceeded $300 billion in revenue, supporting growth in canned and jarred categories
07
4.4% of global food demand is forecast to be supplied by seafood in 2030
08
In 2022, the global canned food market reached about $36 billion in revenue (order-of-magnitude market reference for canning segments)
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market is clearly expanding, with global canned seafood exports reaching 1.9 million tonnes in 2022 worth about $6.6 billion while the global canned food market is projected to grow at a 4.0% CAGR from 2024 to 2032, pointing to continued scale and investment momentum for the broader canning industry market size.
02 · Category
Cost Analysis7 stats
01
In the U.S., industrial natural gas prices averaged about $6.59per million Btu in 2023, impacting retort fuel costs for canning plants
02
In the U.S., industrial electricity prices averaged about 11.4 cents per kWh in 2023, influencing operational costs for steam/retort heating and processing lines
03
U.S. wages and benefits costs rose in line with producer labor inflation; in 2023, the U.S. Employment Cost Index increased 1.1% for total compensation (Q4 over Q4), affecting labor cost structures in food processing
04
In 2022, global aluminum production exceeded 64 million metric tonnes (primary aluminum), which is relevant because aluminum is used in packaging components like cans and closures
05
In 2023, world average steel rebar prices were measured in the hundreds of dollars per tonne (steel cost pressures), relevant for infrastructure and manufacturing supply chains for canning plants
06
Tin prices influence soldering and can manufacturing inputs; the LME cash tin price averaged about $26,000per tonne in 2023, affecting packaging-related costs
07
In 2024, the International Energy Agency reported that global energy intensity improved by about 2.2% (efficiency trend context that can offset thermal processing energy intensity goals)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In 2023, canning plant operating costs were pressured by energy and labor with industrial natural gas averaging $6.59 per million Btu and industrial electricity at 11.4 cents per kWh alongside a 1.1% rise in the U.S. Employment Cost Index, showing how core utilities and wages remain the key cost drivers for the Canning Industry.
03 · Category
Performance Metrics5 stats
01
In a landmark review, thermal processing lethality is often quantified via F0 values; achieving the required lethality targets is the core performance basis for commercial sterility in canned foods
02
Autoclave retort systems commonly track process parameters via temperature and come-up time profiles, and deviation from set points can affect microbial lethality and quality outcomes
03
Retort come-up time is a critical driver of total lethality; reductions in come-up time can increase energy efficiency while maintaining target sterility depending on validation
04
Water activity (aw) reduction is a quality stability lever for canned foods; lower aw generally reduces microbial growth potential, complementing thermal processing
05
Headspace oxygen in cans can affect corrosion and quality; typical industrial targets commonly keep headspace oxygen low to slow oxidative reactions (targets are set during formulation and process validation)
Interpretation
Performance Metrics Interpretation
Across key performance metrics for the canning industry, controlling process lethality through F0 targets and especially reducing retort come up time emerges as a recurring, practical lever for maintaining quality and efficiency, while stabilizing shelf life through lower water activity and keeping headspace oxygen low to limit corrosion and oxidative change.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
Roughly 45–50% of food losses between harvest and retail occur at the post-harvest and processing stages globally, underscoring the role of preservation methods like canning
02
FAO reports that per-capita food availability increased globally from about 2,800 kcal/day in the early 2000s to around 3,000 kcal/day in recent years (trend supports steady demand for preserved foods including canned items)
03
In 2023, the global retail cold chain capacity and food storage infrastructure investments exceeded $100 billion (investment context for competing preservation vs shelf-stable canning)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends data show that about 45 to 50% of food losses happen after harvest and during processing, and with global food availability rising toward roughly 3,000 kcal per person per day and cold-chain investments surpassing $100 billion in 2023, the biggest opportunity for canning lies in better processing and storage to prevent waste and protect supply.
05 · Category
Compliance & Safety3 stats
01
In 2021, the global number of food safety incidents involving adulteration/contamination was in the thousands (exact incident counts vary by system), reinforcing the need for robust thermal processing verification in canning
02
In EU HACCP guidance, food businesses must implement HACCP principles; this applies to all food processing including canning operations under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004
03
WHO estimates that foodborne diseases affect 1 in 10 people globally annually, supporting continued demand for safe shelf-stable foods
Interpretation
Compliance & Safety Interpretation
With foodborne disease affecting about 1 in 10 people globally each year and thousands of adulteration and contamination incidents reported in 2021, the Compliance and Safety agenda for canning is clearly about enforcing HACCP across processing to prevent contamination and protect consumer trust in shelf-stable foods.
06 · Category
Industry Overview6 stats
01
The U.S. food manufacturing sector employs about 1.6 million people (2022), including canning and other processed-food producers
02
The number of food manufacturing establishments in the U.S. was about 28,000 in 2022 (industry structure context for canning/processed foods producers)
03
In 2022, the U.S. had about 7,000 establishments in food manufacturing NAICS 311, showing the breadth of processed-food production ecosystem
04
In 2022, global steel production was about 1.9 billion tonnes, underpinning the availability of steel for can bodies (and related packaging metal supply)
05
In 2023, global aluminum recycling rates for beverage cans were reported at about 74% (recycling loop context for can packaging used in canned foods supply chains)
06
In 2020, global food waste was about 931 million tonnes (FAO methodology estimate referenced by IPCC/UN sources), motivating preservation solutions like canning
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
Across the industry overview, the U.S. food manufacturing sector employs about 1.6 million people and includes roughly 7,000 food manufacturing establishments under NAICS 311 in 2022, showing a large and diversified processed-food ecosystem that depends on material supply and sustainability factors like global steel output of 1.9 billion tonnes and beverage can aluminum recycling reaching about 74% in 2023 to help address the scale of food waste estimated at 931 million tonnes in 2020.
report visual · Key figures
Canning demand: export scale and market expansion
Global canned seafood exports are measured in millions of tonnes and billions of dollars, while market growth projections suggest sustained expansion through the next decade.
$6.6 billion
1.9 million tonnes of canned seafood (fish, crustaceans, molluscs) were exported globally in 2022, worth about $6.6 bill
4%
4.0% compound annual growth is projected for the global canned food market during 2024–2032 (CAGR), suggesting sustained
$36 billion
In 2022, the global canned food market reached about $36 billion in revenue (order-of-magnitude market reference for can
source-verifiedunctad.org · precedenceresearch.com · reportlinker.com2024
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Canning Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canning-industry-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Canning Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/canning-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Canning Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/canning-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
32 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)