Throughout their long history, Latvians have always been a nation of skilled farmers and livestock keepers for whom the rhythms of life were dictated by the changing seasons and daily farm chores. The country’s proximity to the sea created a climate and conditions favourable for farming and motivated coastal dwellers to become excellent fishermen.
Latvia’s food producers have embraced the challenge of meeting the demand for food that is fresh and natural, while taking advantage of modern technologies to ensure consistency, availability, and safety.
The food and beverage industry is the second largest industrial sector in Latvia, producing around 22 % of the total output in manufacturing in 2019. About 1260 companies and registered private merchants are active in the food processing industry.
Each year about 100 food specialists graduate from colleges and universities in Latvia, supplying our food processing companies with a highly qualified workforce.
In 2019, 19 % of all the people employed in manufacturing worked in the food industry.
Sector output in 2019 – EUR 1.9 billion.
Export proportion of total sector’s turnover in 2019 – 38 %.