Northeast Ohio’s Food and Manufacturing Employment Growth Outpaces the Nation
As highlighted in Team NEO’s most recent Quarterly Economic Review, food and beverage manufacturing continues to be a driving force in Northeast Ohio’s economy. To that end, food and beverage manufacturing employment grew 21 percent in Northeast Ohio from 2007 to 2016, compared to just five percent nationwide. In 2016, the sector contributed $3.45 billion to the Northeast Ohio economy, demonstrating just how vital this segment of the manufacturing industry is to our region.
“As employment for many other manufacturing sectors declined from 2007 to 2016, food manufacturing employment grew to almost 22,000 employees as major brands continue to thrive in the region,” said Team NEO CEO Bill Koehler.
With employment in food manufacturing on the rise, so too are investments. In fact, over the past five years, 39 food-related companies have made investments in Northeast Ohio, further illustrating the region’s innumerable advantages when it comes to food manufacturing. “Our robust value chain, proximity to markets, abundance of fresh water and access to efficient energy are just some of the reasons Ohio is one of the top agribusiness states in the nation,” noted Joe Needham, JobsOhio Director, Food and Agribusiness. Companies such as Nestle, Daisy Brand LLC and J.M. Smucker Co. are among the 39 companies who have made major investments in our region recently.
As a state, Ohio employs some 68,000 workers in food manufacturing, a sector that adds $10.1 billion to the GSP. Northeast Ohio comprises approximately one-third of Ohio’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, as measured by employment and output. Given the region’s deep strengths in food manufacturing, many believe the growth experienced over the past decade will continue in the years and decades ahead.
To learn more about the region’s food manufacturing sector, download our Quarterly Economic Review.
Interested in learning more about how Northeast Ohio can benefit your food-related business? Please feel free to contact our team with any questions you may have.
