The term food industries covers a series of industrial activities directed at the production, distribution, processing, conversion, preparation, preservation, transport, certification and packaging of foodstuffs.

 

Food processing: preparation of fresh products for market, and manufacture of prepared food products.

The beverage industry (also known as the drink industry) manufactures drinks and ready-to-drink products.

 

Examples are bottled water, soft drinks, energy drinks, milk products, coffee and tea-based products, nutritional drinks, and alcohol products.

International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services.

 

In most countries, such trade represents a significant share of gross domestic product.