Facts & Figures

Food Cluster of Lower Austria (October 2011)
Number of cluster members: 90
Total number of member employees: 9,559
Total combined turnover of members: EUR 2.7m

Key facts
With an annual turnover of EUR 55 billion, the Austrian food industry contributes around 14% to Austria's gross domestic product. And in Lower Austria, the food sector is also one of the most important economic sectors.


Food retailers in Austria and Lower Austria

• Austria:
  12,722 trading companies (retail and wholesale)
   
• Lower Austria:
  2,488 retailers
  509 wholesalers
  -> employing a total of 23,241 persons in the Lower Austrian food industry

Source: Lower Austria Economic Chamber, July 2010


Agricultural Operations in Austria and Lower Austria

• Austria:
  187,037 agricultural operations, of which 20,870 are engaged in organic farming
  Production output: EUR 6.1 billion
   
• Lower Austria:
  33,011 agricultural operations, of which 4,453 are engaged in organic farming

Source: "2010 Green Report," using 2009 data


Recent Developments in Nutritional Health

• Enhanced health awareness, "feminization" of the market: steadily increasing demand for organic and regional products as well as functional foods
• Increase in out-of-home food consumption: trend to snack products, convenience, new types of packaging, and experiential consumption
• Concrete consumer benefits at the foreground

Source: Austrian Marketing University, University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt – Wieselburg Campus