How many companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry are there in Germany?
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 82,000 companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany (October 2026). The total number of companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany is therefore at least 82,000. Most are located in North Rhine-Westphalia (15,609), Bavaria (14,495), Baden-Württemberg (11,003).
Key figures
Companies by federal state
| State | Number | Share | per 100,000 inh. |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Rhine-Westphalia | 15,609 | 19% | 86.0 |
| Bavaria | 14,495 | 18% | 108.4 |
| Baden-Württemberg | 11,003 | 13% | 97.5 |
| Lower Saxony | 7,607 | 9% | 93.5 |
| Hesse | 6,072 | 7% | 95.0 |
| Rhineland-Palatinate | 5,909 | 7% | 142.0 |
| Saxony | 4,199 | 5% | 102.7 |
| Berlin | 2,913 | 4% | 75.1 |
| Schleswig-Holstein | 2,727 | 3% | 92.1 |
| Thuringia | 2,384 | 3% | 111.9 |
| Hamburg | 2,200 | 3% | 115.2 |
| Brandenburg | 2,037 | 2% | 79.3 |
| Saxony-Anhalt | 1,833 | 2% | 83.7 |
| Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania | 1,312 | 2% | 80.5 |
| Saarland | 1,034 | 1% | 104.4 |
| Bremen | 631 | 1% | 90.1 |
| Germany | 82,057 | 100% | 97.1 |
Cities with the most companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry
Digitalization
62% of companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry have no website of their own.
Related industries
- Electronics and computers – retail45,657
- Farm shop and direct marketing28,407
- Cosmetics – retail41,977
- Fashion and textiles – retail41,222
- Sporting goods store38,710
- Computers and accessories – retail20,095
- Medical device – retail18,753
- Bakery27,405
- Clothing – retail29,222
- Butcher shop14,239
- Optics and medical technology – retail28,315
- Office equipment – retail26,722
- Fuels – retail11,219
- Grocery and delicatessen store20,306
- Office technology – retail20,129
- Software – retail10,289
Frequently asked questions
How many companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry are there in Germany?
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 82,000 companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany (October 2026). The total number of companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany is therefore at least 82,000. Most are located in North Rhine-Westphalia (15,609), Bavaria (14,495), Baden-Württemberg (11,003).
Which German cities have the most companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry?
Berlin (2,895), Hamburg (2,249), Munich (1,444), Cologne (1,029), Düsseldorf (656).
How many companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany have a website?
38% have their own website, 33% an email address.
How current is this number?
It is recalculated daily from the current database. Last update: October 18, 2026. Businesses in liquidation or with a recognizable closure are not counted.
Cite this number
The B2B database of dieanalysten GmbH alone lists more than 82,000 companies in the “Food and beverage – retail” industry in Germany (source: dieanalysten B2B database, October 2026, https://www.dieanalysten.com/en/statistics/food-and-beverage-retail).
The statistics are licensed under CC BY 4.0: free to use, including commercially, with attribution “dieanalysten” and a link.
Method: businesses in the database of dieanalysten GmbH minus a 5% safety margin; businesses in liquidation or with a recognizable closure are excluded. See methodology. As of October 18, 2026.