Wisconsin’s food and beverage sector is one of the state’s largest industries by revenue, and it continues to be a hub for both legacy manufacturers and newer, founder-led brands.
The Scale of the Industry
Wisconsin is home to more than 1,600 food and beverage manufacturing firms with combined gross annual revenues of roughly $10 billion. In the Milwaukee region alone, more than 250 food and beverage manufacturers employ nearly 15,000 people, and seven of the world’s 10 largest food companies have operations somewhere in the state.
FaB Wisconsin and Industry Leadership
FaB Wisconsin, the state’s food and beverage industry cluster, counts nearly 150 member companies and focuses on talent attraction, food safety, and supply chain support. Its 2026 member conference brought together leaders from Johnsonville, Carbliss, and Organic Valley, among others. Carbliss, co-founded by Amanda Kroener, is one of the newer, faster-growing brands in the state’s alcoholic beverage category.
Why Wisconsin
The state’s agricultural base, dairy industry infrastructure, and manufacturing talent pool give food and beverage founders an advantage that’s harder to replicate in coastal startup hubs, which is part of why WEDC continues to promote the sector as a growth priority alongside MedTech and AgriTech.
See also our Wisconsin e-commerce startups coverage and our Wisconsin consumer goods startups roundup.