News

September 25, 2025 | Insights

Food Processing and Distribution Market Report

Bowen has released its Food Processing and Distribution Report, which examines the sector’s resilience, shifting investor focus to midstream assets, and evolving M&A landscape. Drawing on Bowen’s industry expertise and deep transactional knowledge, the report provides a comprehensive analysis of the food processing and distribution space, highlighting key trends and identifying areas of opportunity.

MARKET OVERVIEW:

Trade tensions and inflationary pressures have created a bifurcated market in the food and agriculture segment, with midstream segments outperforming amid accelerating consolidation activity

The fragmented market in select segments presents compelling roll-up opportunities for both strategic and financial buyers

- While animal product processing is highly consolidated, the dry goods and fresh produce segments offer significant scale-building potential through regional acquisition strategies

M&A momentum has stabilized in Q2 2025 following a tariff-related pullback in Q1

- While Q1 2025 saw significant declines in US and Global Food & Beverage M&A, Q2 2025 showed stability and even a slight increase in the broader Food sector, though still below Q2 2024 levels

Valuation multiples reflect segment-specific dynamics, ranging from 8x to 15x EBITDA based on defensibility and growth profiles.

The report digs deeper into these trends and the food processing and distribution sector, highlighting industry trends, recent transactions, and market outlooks. Below is a breakdown of some of the key topics covered in the report:

Food Processing and Distribution Segments Covered
- Dry Foods
- Fruits and Vegetables
- Meat & Seafood
Market and Dealmaking Overview
- Market Growth and Trends
- Notable Transactions in Each Segment
- Bowen Insights into Deal-Making
M&A Landscape
- M&A Activity
- Market Consolidation
- Select Financial Investors and Platforms