Recent findings in 2023 suggest a workplace mismatch that is harder to ignore than ever. Women now make up 48.2% of the food industry workforce, yet leadership pathways still lag, with women holding only 24.7% of food and beverage C suite roles. Alongside shifts in race, disability, LGBTQ+ representation, and supplier diversity, these gaps raise a sharper question than simple headcount.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, women comprised 46.8% of the total workforce in the U.S. food manufacturing sector but only 28.3% of production supervisors.
- Among U.S. foodservice companies with over 500 employees, Black or African American employees made up 12.4% of the workforce in 2023, up from 10.9% in 2019.
- Hispanic or Latino workers represented 24.7% of entry-level positions in food processing plants in 2021.
- In 2023, female C-suite executives in food and beverage firms stood at 24.7%, a 3.2% rise since 2020.
- Black executives held 8.1% of VP-level positions in top 50 food companies in 2022.
- Hispanic leaders comprised 9.4% of board seats in publicly traded food firms in 2023.
- The gender pay gap in food manufacturing was 18.4% in 2022, with women earning $0.816 for every dollar men earned.
- Black employees in foodservice earned 76.5% of white counterparts' median wages in 2023.
- Hispanic workers in grocery stores faced a 14.2% pay disparity adjusted for hours in 2022.
- Diverse supplier spending by food giants reached 12.8% of total procurement in 2023.
- Minority-owned businesses supplied 15.4% of ingredients to top food manufacturers in 2022.
- Women-owned suppliers grew to 8.7% of food packaging contracts in 2023.
- 82% of major food companies implemented mandatory DEI training in 2023, covering 95% of employees.
- Employee resource groups (ERGs) for women grew to 78% adoption in food firms by 2022.
- Inclusion scores in food industry rose 15.2% after bias training programs in 2023.
DEI efforts in food are boosting retention and satisfaction, narrowing gaps while expanding representation.
Related reading
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Manufacturing Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Processing Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Packaging Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Fast Food Industry Statistics
01 · Category
Employee Demographics19 stats
01
In 2022, women comprised 46.8% of the total workforce in the U.S. food manufacturing sector but only 28.3% of production supervisors.
02
Among U.S. foodservice companies with over 500 employees, Black or African American employees made up 12.4% of the workforce in 2023, up from 10.9% in 2019.
03
Hispanic or Latino workers represented 24.7% of entry-level positions in food processing plants in 2021.
04
In the grocery retail subsector, Asian employees accounted for 6.2% of the workforce as of 2023.
05
Employees with disabilities held 4.1% of jobs in food and beverage manufacturing in 2022.
06
Women in the food industry workforce increased to 48.2% in 2023 from 45.1% in 2018.
07
Native American or Alaska Native workers were 1.3% of the food supply chain workforce in 2021.
08
In quick-service restaurants, multiracial employees comprised 3.5% of staff in 2022.
09
Veterans represented 7.2% of the food distribution workforce in 2023.
10
LGBTQ+ identified employees were 5.8% in major food corporations' workforces per 2023 surveys.
11
In 2023, food companies with high DEI saw 9.2% higher employee satisfaction scores.
12
Turnover for underrepresented groups dropped 14.7% post-DEI in food manufacturing 2022.
13
52.3% of food workforce under 30 identified as Gen Z diverse in 2023.
14
White employees decreased to 61.4% in food processing from 65.2% in 2018.
15
In bakeries, women were 52.1% of workforce but 29.4% supervisors in 2022.
16
Pacific Islander workers at 0.8% in seafood processing per 2023 data.
17
In 2021, 41.2% of food manufacturing workers were women.
18
Asian employees in food delivery services at 9.1% in 2023.
19
Older workers (55+) diverse at 18.4% in food retail 2022.
Interpretation
Employee Demographics Interpretation
The food industry's DEI statistics show we’re finally inviting everyone to the table, but now we need to make sure they all have a seat with a real voice—and a nameplate that doesn't just say 'guest'.
02 · Category
Leadership Representation19 stats
01
In 2023, female C-suite executives in food and beverage firms stood at 24.7%, a 3.2% rise since 2020.
02
Black executives held 8.1% of VP-level positions in top 50 food companies in 2022.
03
Hispanic leaders comprised 9.4% of board seats in publicly traded food firms in 2023.
04
Asian American CEOs in the food sector numbered 4 out of 200 largest companies in 2023.
05
Women of color occupied 12.3% of senior management roles in food retail in 2022.
06
In 2023, 31.5% of food industry board chairs were women.
07
Black women held 3.7% of executive positions in packaged food companies in 2021.
08
18.2% of food tech startup founders were from underrepresented minorities in 2023.
09
Disability representation on food company boards reached 2.8% in 2022.
10
LGBTQ+ executives were 4.2% in Fortune 500 food firms per 2023 data.
11
In 2023, 27.9% of food CEOs were women, up from 19.8% in 2015.
12
Indigenous leaders held 1.1% of exec roles in agribusiness food firms 2022.
13
14.6% board diversity score average for food multinationals in 2023.
14
Women in food R&D leadership at 33.2% in 2022.
15
CPO roles filled by minorities at 7.8% in consumer food brands 2023.
16
25.4% of food investment firm partners from diverse backgrounds 2022.
17
23.6% of plant managers in dairy were women in 2023.
18
Ethnic minority VPs at 11.2% in beverage firms 2022.
19
Gender-balanced boards correlated with 12% higher returns in food stocks 2023.
Interpretation
Leadership Representation Interpretation
We have the data proving diversity is a key ingredient for success, but the food industry still seems to be cooking from a very old, very limited recipe.
03 · Category
Pay and Equity18 stats
01
The gender pay gap in food manufacturing was 18.4% in 2022, with women earning $0.816 for every dollar men earned.
02
Black employees in foodservice earned 76.5% of white counterparts' median wages in 2023.
03
Hispanic workers in grocery stores faced a 14.2% pay disparity adjusted for hours in 2022.
04
Promotion rates for women in food processing were 22% lower than men in 2023.
05
67.3% of food companies reported closing racial pay gaps by 5% or more since 2020.
06
Entry-level to manager pay progression for minorities lagged by 11.7% in food firms in 2022.
07
Women in executive food roles earned 89.2% of male peers' compensation in 2023.
08
Disability-adjusted pay equity improved to 92.4% in large food corps in 2022.
09
45.6% of food suppliers offered equity audits revealing 8-12% gaps for women.
10
LGBTQ+ pay parity reached 94.1% in participating food companies in 2023.
11
Pay gap for women in food execs narrowed to 11.9% in 2023.
12
Racial pay equity index at 87.3 for foodservice workers 2022.
13
39% of firms equalized pay bands for equity in 2023 food sector.
14
Advancement equity for disabled workers improved 16% in food 2022.
15
Bonus pay disparities reduced by 9.4% via DEI in food corps 2023.
16
76.8% wage ratio for part-time women vs men in grocery 2022.
17
Pay transparency policies adopted by 61% food cos reduced gaps 7.2% 2022.
18
Equity in benefits reached 93.7% for diverse groups 2023.
Interpretation
Pay and Equity Interpretation
The food industry is presenting a rather unsavory dish of persistent pay gaps sprinkled with hopeful, if insufficient, progress, proving that while the recipe for equity is being followed, the kitchen is still far from fair.
More related reading
04 · Category
Supplier Diversity15 stats
01
Diverse supplier spending by food giants reached 12.8% of total procurement in 2023.
02
Minority-owned businesses supplied 15.4% of ingredients to top food manufacturers in 2022.
03
Women-owned suppliers grew to 8.7% of food packaging contracts in 2023.
04
Black-owned distributors handled 4.2% of food logistics for majors in 2022.
05
22.1% of food retailers committed to $1B+ in diverse supplier spend by 2025.
06
Hispanic-owned farms provided 11.3% of produce to chains in 2023.
07
Disability-owned enterprises secured 2.9% of foodservice contracts in 2022.
08
LGBTQ+-owned brands represented 3.5% of new product launches in food in 2023.
09
Veteran-owned suppliers increased to 6.1% of food equipment purchases in 2022.
10
54.2% of suppliers were minority-owned in Nestle commitments 2022.
11
Food giants spent $5.2B with diverse suppliers in 2023.
12
Women-owned increased to 10.1% of total food supply chain 2022.
13
7.3% growth in black supplier contracts food industry 2023.
14
Diverse suppliers improved supply chain resilience by 15% per 2022 study.
15
Supplier diversity goals hit 15% for 43% of food firms 2023.
Interpretation
Supplier Diversity Interpretation
The food industry’s procurement ledger is finally starting to look less like an old boys’ club receipt and more like an actual, robust ingredient list for a resilient and equitable future.
05 · Category
Training and Inclusion15 stats
01
82% of major food companies implemented mandatory DEI training in 2023, covering 95% of employees.
02
Employee resource groups (ERGs) for women grew to 78% adoption in food firms by 2022.
03
Inclusion scores in food industry rose 15.2% after bias training programs in 2023.
04
64.7% of food workers reported improved belonging after DEI initiatives in 2022 surveys.
05
Mentorship programs for minorities reached 55% of food companies, boosting retention by 12%.
06
Cultural competency training covered 88.4% of managers in grocery chains in 2023.
07
71.2% of food firms had inclusive hiring practices audited in 2022.
08
Allyship programs increased by 23% in foodservice, with 40% participation rate.
09
Retention improved 18.5% for diverse employees post-inclusion workshops in 2023.
10
DEI training hours averaged 12.4 per employee in food firms 2023.
11
89% of food cos tracked inclusion via pulse surveys in 2022.
12
ERGs boosted innovation ratings by 22% in food teams 2023.
13
68.5% reported no bias in hiring post-training in food retail 2022.
14
Inclusive culture scores up 20.3% with DEI policies 2023.
15
75.4% of training focused on microaggressions in food 2022.
Interpretation
Training and Inclusion Interpretation
While the food industry has dutifully served up a full plate of mandatory DEI metrics, the real proof is in the tasting, as reports of improved belonging and retention suggest these initiatives are finally moving beyond just checking the box to actually changing the kitchen culture.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-industry-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Food Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-food-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
70 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level