Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing Revenue Benchmarks
The average perishable prepared food manufacturing business in the United States generates $21.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 817 perishable prepared food manufacturing businesses in the U.S., employing 66,551 workers with an average profit margin of 10.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $51K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing Business Actually Do?
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products.
Who buys: Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
Sector-level description — a more specific write-up is available for high-traffic industries.
Average Revenue
$21.0M
per year
Profit Margin
10.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$258K
per year
Total Businesses
817
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$2.1M
small business avg
Labor Cost
18.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$51K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
0.2
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing Charge?
Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the perishable prepared food manufacturing category — the ranges below are typical for the sector.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Contract manufacturing markup | 15–35% over materials + labor |
Own-brand product margin | 25–60% gross margin |
Custom / low-volume run | 40–150% over direct costs |
Sector-typical ranges — individual services within this industry may fall higher or lower.
Complete perishable prepared food manufacturing business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a perishable prepared food manufacturing business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Raw materials & components | $50 | $10.6M | Steel, chemicals, electronics, packaging — the physical inputs that become the product. |
Wages & benefits | $18 | $3.8M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $6 | $1.2M | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $756K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $12 | $2.6M | Depreciation on equipment, energy, R&D, quality control, freight. |
Net profit | $10 | $2.1M | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
11.46%
openings/year
Closure Rate
8.63%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+0.27%
annual
Businesses Closed
341
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
1 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a perishable prepared food manufacturing business do?
- Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing: Businesses that transform raw materials or components into finished products. Wholesalers, retailers, other manufacturers, and government.
- How much do perishable prepared food manufacturing charge?
- Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing: Manufacturers sell in bulk to wholesalers, distributors, or direct to businesses. Pricing is negotiated by SKU volume. The specifics vary within the perishable prepared food manufacturing category — the ranges below are typical for the sector. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average perishable prepared food manufacturing make per year?
- The average perishable prepared food manufacturing business generates $21.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $2.1M per year at a 10.0% profit margin.
- How many perishable prepared food manufacturing businesses are there in the US?
- There are 817 perishable prepared food manufacturing businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 66,551 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a perishable prepared food manufacturing business?
- Startup costs for a perishable prepared food manufacturing business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry?
- The average employee in the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry earns $51K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The perishable prepared food manufacturing industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of 0.3%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 11.5% and 8.6% respectively.
Approximately 64% of perishable prepared food manufacturing businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 341 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the perishable prepared food manufacturing industry earns $51,055/year. This is near the national average of ~$65K. With 1,803 establishments employing 64,555 people, the typical business has about 36 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The perishable prepared food manufacturing industry has grown 71% since 2000 (from 2,264 to 3,882 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing revenue with other industries: