Spotlight Feature
Top 100 Food and Beverage Packaging Companies of 2026
March 16, 2026
Spotlight Feature
Top 100 Food and Beverage Packaging Companies of 2026
March 16, 2026
Since our Top 100 list is based on annual revenue, I thought it would be fun to pore over companies’ earnings results in search of gems related to packaging. 2026 marks my 30th year as a B2B journalist, and the time that I used to devote to quarterly and annual earnings results has largely given way to reporting on issues such as sustainable packaging, brand redesign and brand repositioning, which this story will also touch on.
But I turn first to some packaging-related tidbits that I uncovered from companies’ earnings results.
Tyson Foods
In its earnings report for its fiscal 2026 first quarter (ended Dec. 27, 2025), Tyson Foods, Inc., touched not only on protein but also on Prepared Foods, both of which are important packaging segments. Tyson Foods ranked No. 10 in this year’s list, and its brands include Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, Wright, Aidells, ibp, and State Fair.
"Our first quarter results reflect solid execution across our portfolio," Donnie King, President & CEO of Tyson Foods, said in early February. "Prepared Foods delivered top and bottom-line growth while Chicken reported its fifth consecutive quarter of year-over-year volume gains. As protein demand continues to increase, our consistent share gains demonstrate we are well-positioned to capture this momentum."
Tyson's flow wrap packaging for ground beef uses about 50% less plastic and 50% less energy in the manufacturing process versus traditional expanded polystyrene product packaging, according to Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson. Image courtesy of Tyson Foods
The Campbell’s Company
Campbell’s—which ranked No. 56 in this year’s list—saw mixed results across its various portfolios during its fiscal 2026 first quarter ended November 2, 2025.
Campbell’s CEO Mick Beekhuizen said at-home-cooking trends continue to benefit brands within the company’s Meals & Beverages portfolio but noted that the company’s Snacks business continues to weather category softness.
Additionally, Campbell’s entered into definitive agreements to acquire a 49% interest in La Regina, the producer of Rao’s tomato-based pasta sauces. The acquisition “solidifies Campbell's long-term strategic partnership with La Regina and is expected to fuel Rao's continued growth,” the company said.
General Mills
“In fiscal 2026, General Mills is investing in its brands to restore volume-driven organic net sales growth, with initiatives that touch all elements of the Company’s Remarkable Experience Framework: product, packaging, brand communication, omnichannel execution, and consumer value. This includes strong innovation plans that are expected to generate a 25 percent increase in sales from new products in fiscal 2026,” the company said when reporting its results for the second fiscal quarter ended November 23, 2025.
Yogurt vs. Pet Food
General Mills announced in June 2025 that it had completed the sale of its U.S. Yogurt business to Lactalis (which ranks No. 15 in this year’s Top 100 list, compared to Campbell’s No. 56 ranking). The divestiture included the U.S. operations of several yogurt brands including Yoplait, Go-Gurt, Oui, Mountain High, and :ratio, as well as manufacturing facilities in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and Reed City, Michigan.
Also in June 2025, General Mills announced two new launches within its North America Pet segment with initiatives from Blue Buffalo and Edgard & Cooper, designed to meet evolving pet parent preferences and accelerate the company’s growth in pet feeding.
Specifically, the company announced that its Blue Buffalo brand was entering fresh pet food with the national launch of “Love Made Fresh,” offering pet parents more ways to love and feed their pets like family. Also, following its April 2024 acquisition of Edgard & Cooper, a leading European premium pet food brand, General Mills said it would launch the brand in the United States in July 2025 through an exclusive retail partnership with PetSmart, a leading omni-channel pet retailer.
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Earnings results aside: Since the Top 100 companies are packaging heavyweights, it’s not surprising that we have reported on them in recent months. Following are just a few examples of our reporting on the Top 100 firms with respect to sustainable packaging, brand redesign, and brand repositioning.
Mondelēz
A perennial favorite as far as the Top 100 is concerned, Mondelēz International took the No. 12 spot in this year’s list. The company’s brands include Belvita, Honey Maid, Cadbury, Ritz, Oreo, Wheat Thins, and Chips Ahoy!
Mondelēz was party to several sustainable packaging efforts in 2025.
Mondelēz is a founding member of the US Flexible Film Initiative (USFFI), a non-profit membership organization helping to advance scalable solutions to recycle flexible plastic packaging. By committing to multi-year contracts with material recovery facilities (MRFs), flexible plastic processors, and recyclers, USFFI aims to help the industry move toward a model where flexible films are intentionally collected alongside other recyclables. You can learn more about the coalition’s efforts here.
Mondelēz International recently partnered with DS Smith to trial 300,000 Cadbury Heroes paper tubs across Tesco stores in the UK. Image courtesy of Mondelēz International
We also reported on Mondelēz partnering with DS Smith to trial 300,000 Cadbury Heroes paper tubs across Tesco stores, and we reported on Mondelēz and Tesco trialing a new initiative to reduce plastic packaging on Cadbury Crunchie multipacks.
Kraft Heinz
Kraft Heinz—which ranked No. 19 in this year’s list—launched in 2025 its Global Innovation Challenge.
Led by Kraft Heinz’s R&D packaging team, the competition invited innovators and material scientists from around the world to present cutting-edge solutions that deliver enhanced barrier performance for food protection and extended shelf life. You can learn about the winner of the challenge here.
Kraft Heinz brands include Kraft, Oscar Mayer, Heinze, Ore-Ida, Jell-O, Velveeta, and Planters.
Kraft Heinz launched its Global Innovation Challenge in 2025. Image courtesy of Kraft Heinz
Grupo Bimbo
Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo made the Top 100 list again this year, taking the No. 27 spot. The company’s brands include Mrs Baird’s, Bimbo, Brownberry, Thomas, and Entenmann’s.
Alejandro Rodríguez, Global Leader of Packaging Technology at Grupo Bimbo, laid out in 2025 the company’s sustainable packaging targets.
“This year, we’ve set an ambitious goal to have 100% of our packaging be recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable. We are one step away from achieving this historic milestone, as we have reached 94% progress,” Rodríguez said.
In Mexico, Grupo Bimbo collaborates with ECOCE — an organization focused on improving packaging design and recyclability — to collect flexible packaging. Additionally, the company’s logistics pallets are made incorporating 100% recycled materials, including at least 20% post-consumer packaging.
You can learn more about Grupo Bimbo’s sustainability efforts here.
Companies like Grupo Bimbo with a strong focus on sustainable packaging were among those recognized through the BEST in Baking Industry Awards, which were presented at the International Baking Industry Exposition (IBIE) in September 2025 in Las Vegas Image courtesy of IBIE
Saputo
Saputo took the No. 40 spot this year. The company’s brands include DCI Cheese, Frigo, Dragone, DairyStar, and Friendship Dairies.
While Saputo is based in Canada, the company recently made headlines with its award-winning Black Creek® Cheddar, a growing brand within the Saputo USA portfolio. Capitalizing on Wisconsin’s cheesemaking culture, the brand is aiming to transition from being more locally known to becoming the definitive Midwestern cheddar on a national scale. You can learn more about the initiative here.
While Saputo is based in Canada, the company recently made headlines with its award-winning Black Creek® Cheddar, a growing brand within the Saputo USA portfolio. Image courtesy of Chase Design Group
Carlsberg
Carlsberg Group took the No. 53 spot this year. The company’s brands include Carlsberg, Kronenbourg 1664, Holsten, Tuborg Gold, and Baltika no. 3.
The company’s 1664 brand made headlines in late 2025 with its first-ever festive artist collaboration across Hong Kong, mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam with celebrated French artist Camille Walala.
Bringing a modern twist to the traditional holiday season that encapsulates Christmas and Lunar New Year (February 17, 2026), 1664 introduced limited-edition designs and upbeat experiences from October 2025 onward. Carlsberg Group said it was leveraging the partnership to strengthen its appeal among premium beer drinkers in Asia through creative expressions that reflect 1664’s signature ethos of good taste and shared celebration.
You can learn more about 1664’s collaboration with Walala here.
Carlsberg Group’s 1664 brand made headlines in late 2025 with its first-ever festive artist collaboration across Hong Kong, mainland China, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam with celebrated French artist Camille Walala. Image courtesy of Carlsberg Group
