Our Top 100 2025 edition of Food & Drink Business magazine is more than the annual flagship Top 100 Report. Industry leaders reflect on the year past and the one ahead, we provide our annual news review, M&A wrap-up, and all the executive moves, and a Roman-inspired sports drink, Posca, is our final Rising Star for 2025.

Food & Drink Business and IBISWorld present this year’s Top 100 companies, a ranking of Australia’s largest food and drink companies by revenue. This year reflects a sector positioning itself for immediate term viability and long-term competitiveness.

Top 100 2025: The Top 10

The Top 10 remained a stable list this year, with five companies holding their position – Fonterra (#1), JBS (#2), Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (#3), Asahi (#4), and Thomas Foods International (#7). The biggest change was Treasury Wine Estates dropping out of the list, from #10 to #13.

"Grandfather of Australian whisky" awarded AM in Honours List

Tasmanian whisky pioneer, Bill Lark, has been appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2026 Australia Day Honours List, recognising his extraordinary contribution to the Australian distilling industry and Tasmanian community.

Bacardi, CCEP partnership lands in NZ

International spirits company, Bacardi, has entered into a new distribution agreement with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) in New Zealand, following the announcement of a similar arrangement in Australia last August.

Hitex appoints CEO, setting stage for expansion

Leading contract manufacturer, Hitex Confectionery, has appointed Darren Butler as its new CEO, aiming to propel a new stage of expansion following two years of transformation.

Suntory appoints Spirits MD for Oceania

Suntory has appointed Ashish Gandham as managing director for Suntory Global Spirits – Oceania, following the launch of the company’s $3 billion multi-beverage business in July 2025.

Sustainable flour slices off emissions

As pressure mounts on food manufacturers to substantiate sustainability claims with hard data, Wholegrain Milling has taken a deliberately forensic approach to one of world’s most ubiquitous foods: bread.

Packaging News

The Australian and New Zealand businesses of Pro-Pac Packaging (PPG), excluding Perfection Packaging, have been sold to Consolidated Packaging Australia, a subsidiary of Knoxcorp, the privately owned Australian investment company headed by Jim Knox.

Schütz Australia is expanding its packaging collection and reconditioning activities in Victoria through the acquisition of ContainerSave and DrumSavers.

Avantium N.V. and Packamama have signed a capacity reservation agreement for Avantium’s plant-based polymer PEF, branded as Releaf. The polymer is produced using Avantium’s YXY Technology.