Industry: Food & Beverage
Known as “America’s Dairyland” with a long history as an agriculture center, Wisconsin is a global leader in the food and beverage industry. This expertise combined with statewide resources have drawn seven of the 12 largest food companies in the world to build operational facilities here, including Kraft Foods, Coca-Cola, Nestle, Pepsi and Cargill.
Additionally, the state is home to some of the leading food science and research facilities like the UW-Madison Center for Dairy Research and the UW-Madison Food Research Institute, which collaborate with industry leaders to help solve the world’s food challenges.
Facts and Figures:
• No. 1 in North America for Cheese, Beans, Cranberries and Ginseng
• No. 2 in North America for Butter, Milk, Dairy Cows and Organic Production
• No. 3 in North America for Carrots, Potatoes, Peas and Sweet Corn
(Source: North American Rankings)
Businesses Lukewarm on U.S., Wisconsin Economies
Kristen Nupson
January 14, 2026
Healthcare costs, finding employees remain top challenges MADISON – Wisconsin businesses enter 2026 with measured optimism about the state and national economies, according to a
