Segments of the Food IndustryThe food industry is divided into four major segments:
- Production
- Manufacturing/processing
- Distribution
- Marketing
Production includes such industries as farming, ranching, orchard management, fishing and aquaculture. 
Technologies involved in production of the raw materials include the selection of plant and animals varieties, cultivation, growth, harvest, slaughter and the storage and handling of the raw materials.
Manufacturing converts raw agriculture products to more refined or finished products.
Manufacturing required many unit operation and processes that are at the core of food technology.
Distribution deals with those aspects conducive to product sales, including; product form, weight and bulk, transportation, storage requirements and storage stability.
Marketing in the selling of foods and involves wholesale, retail institutions and restaurants.
These four divisions are rather artificial and the divisions actually overlap one another.
Nevertheless the food industries requires planning and synchronization in all its divisions to be successful.
Another way of dividing the food industry is along major product lines:
- Cereal and bakery
- Meats, fish and poultry
- Dairy products
- Fruits and vegetables
- Sugars and other sweets
- Fats and oils
- Nonalcoholic beverages/alcoholics beverages
These division are typically where consumer consumption is measured and reported.
Segments of the Food Industry
