Euromonitor releases Top 50 Billionaire Brand Food list

LAY’S, Kellogg’s, Yili, Mengniu, and Wrigley’s grabbed the top spots at the Top 50 Billionaire Brands list for packaged food in 2014 released by market research company Euromonitor International.

A decade ago, Kellogg ranked number one on the list, followed by Kraft, Lay’s, Wrigley’s, and Cadbury. 

Kellogg has, nevertheless, secured the leading spot in terms of cumulative 2004–2014 sales despite a slight decline in sales. Lay’s comes next, followed by Kraft, Wrigley’s, and Cadbury.

Two Chinese brands in the dairy sector—Yili and Mengniu—have entered the top 5. This is a clear departure from the list’s company makeup of ten years ago wherein no Asian brands penetrated the top 5. (See graphic)

The fast rise of China brands such as Yili and Mengniu is weakening the market share of long-standing top players such as Danone, Campbell’s, and Barilla. These new Asian food brands on the billionaire brand list, however, generate their entire revenue from a single market. Fast-growing brands such as Yili, Mengniu, Master Kong, Arawana, Shireway, Wahaha, Fortune, and Wang Zai depend mostly on the China market for their revenues.

Lamine Lahouasnia, global head of Packaged Food Research at Euromonitor International, noted the Asia-Pacific has been the major growth engine of the packaged food industry over the last decade. The region contributes more than US$180 billion to the global market, representing 48% of the growth generated by the industry.

The billionaire brand list, which reviews packaged food company performance over the last decade, 

is a who's who of the food world. It contains some of the most iconic food brands around the world from long-standing members such as Kellogg's and Cadbury to less popular recent additions. The list defines the current key players in the packaged food market.