Canadian food, beverage sales ‘resilient,’ but growth driven by higher prices: FCC

On first glance, Canada’s food and beverage industry had a successful first half of 2026. Further review indicates underlying issues.

Food and beverage manufacturing sales were four per cent higher in the first half of 2026 than in the same period last year — sitting at $88.1 billion, Farm Credit Canada said in a September 23 report examining Statistics Canada data.

While nominal sales gained four per cent, volume-based real sales were unchanged, meaning that higher prices were responsible for increased monetary sales, wrote senior economist Ulrich Zombre.

Grain and oilseed milling had the biggest upswing in nominal sales at 28 per cent and the second-biggest increase in real sales at 10 per cent. Wineries were up 13 per cent in nominal sales and a 16 per cent increase in real sales.

Meanwhile, distilleries had the biggest decline in nominal sales at 12 per cent, while also dropping 11 per cent in real sales. Sugar and confectionery product manufacturing was down eight per cent in nominal sales and 12 per cent in real sales.