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U.K. (FTSE) Food Industry Analysis

UpdatedApr 16, 2026
DataAggregated Company Financials
Companies18
  • 7D-2.0%
  • 3M-0.9%
  • 1Y-7.0%
  • YTD-5.7%

Over the last 7 days, the Food industry has risen 2.1%, driven by gains from Greencore Group of 1.6%. In the past year, the industry is down 3.3%. Looking forward, earnings are forecast to grow by 9.5% annually.

Industry Valuation and Performance

Has the U.K. Food Industry valuation changed over the past few years?

DateMarket CapRevenueEarningsPEAbsolute PEPS
Thu, 16 Apr 2026UK£25.1bUK£36.8bUK£1.8b12.6x13.8x0.7x
Sat, 14 Mar 2026UK£25.3bUK£36.8bUK£1.8b12.8x14x0.7x
Mon, 09 Feb 2026UK£26.4bUK£36.7bUK£1.8b13.3x14.7x0.7x
Wed, 07 Jan 2026UK£27.3bUK£39.1bUK£1.8b16.3x14.8x0.7x
Fri, 05 Dec 2025UK£27.3bUK£38.8bUK£1.8b14.7x15.2x0.7x
Sun, 02 Nov 2025UK£28.6bUK£38.8bUK£2.1b14.9x13.8x0.7x
Tue, 30 Sep 2025UK£25.9bUK£38.7bUK£2.1b15.2x12.5x0.7x
Thu, 28 Aug 2025UK£27.9bUK£38.5bUK£2.1b19.2x13.6x0.7x
Sat, 26 Jul 2025UK£28.3bUK£38.5bUK£2.0b19x14.2x0.7x
Mon, 23 Jun 2025UK£26.8bUK£38.5bUK£2.0b17.8x13.5x0.7x
Wed, 21 May 2025UK£27.7bUK£38.5bUK£2.2b15.7x12.5x0.7x
Fri, 18 Apr 2025UK£27.1bUK£38.4bUK£2.2b15.4x12.5x0.7x
Sun, 16 Mar 2025UK£24.7bUK£38.2bUK£2.1b14.9x11.5x0.6x
Tue, 11 Feb 2025UK£25.5bUK£38.2bUK£2.2b12.7x11.8x0.7x
Thu, 09 Jan 2025UK£25.8bUK£38.2bUK£2.2b12.1x12x0.7x
Sat, 07 Dec 2024UK£28.5bUK£38.3bUK£2.2b13.6x13.1x0.7x
Mon, 04 Nov 2024UK£28.5bUK£38.2bUK£1.9b14.2x15x0.7x
Wed, 02 Oct 2024UK£28.4bUK£38.2bUK£1.9b14x15x0.7x
Fri, 30 Aug 2024UK£29.6bUK£38.3bUK£1.9b14.5x15.8x0.8x
Sun, 28 Jul 2024UK£31.3bUK£41.8bUK£2.4b14.3x13.3x0.7x
Tue, 25 Jun 2024UK£31.2bUK£41.8bUK£2.3b14.3x13.3x0.7x
Thu, 23 May 2024UK£32.6bUK£41.7bUK£2.4b14.6x13.7x0.8x
Sat, 20 Apr 2024UK£29.9bUK£41.3bUK£2.3b14.6x13.1x0.7x
Mon, 18 Mar 2024UK£27.1bUK£38.3bUK£1.8b14.2x15.5x0.7x
Wed, 14 Feb 2024UK£27.1bUK£40.9bUK£2.2b15.1x12.5x0.7x
Fri, 12 Jan 2024UK£28.2bUK£41.9bUK£2.2b15.3x12.7x0.7x
Sun, 10 Dec 2023UK£29.6bUK£41.8bUK£2.2b15.8x13.4x0.7x
Tue, 07 Nov 2023UK£26.3bUK£40.2bUK£1.4b19.3x19.3x0.7x
Thu, 05 Oct 2023UK£26.1bUK£40.2bUK£1.3b19.4x19.4x0.6x
Sat, 02 Sep 2023UK£25.6bUK£39.8bUK£1.4b13.9x18.6x0.6x
Mon, 31 Jul 2023UK£26.8bUK£40.1bUK£1.3b14.2x20.5x0.7x
Wed, 28 Jun 2023UK£25.2bUK£40.5bUK£1.3b13.3x19.6x0.6x
Fri, 26 May 2023UK£25.1bUK£40.2bUK£1.2b13.3x20.2x0.6x
Sun, 23 Apr 2023UK£26.7bUK£38.0bUK£1.0b13.9x25.8x0.7x
Price to Earnings Ratio

25.8x


Total Market Cap: UK£26.7bTotal Earnings: UK£1.0bTotal Revenue: UK£38.0bTotal Market Cap vs Earnings and Revenue0%0%0%
U.K. Food Industry Price to Earnings3Y Average 14.8x202420252026
Current Industry PE
  • Investors are relatively neutral on the British Food industry at the moment, indicating that they anticipate long term growth rates to remain steady.
  • The industry is trading close to its 3-year average PE ratio of 14.8x.
  • The industry is trading close to its 3-year average PS ratio of 0.70x.
Past Earnings Growth
  • The earnings for companies in the Food industry have grown 21% per year over the last three years, while revenues have remained mostly flat.
  • This means that companies overall are more efficiently conducting business since profits are increasing while sales have been flat.

Industry Trends

Which industries have driven the changes within the U.K. Consumer Staples industry?

GB Market-0.19%
Consumer Staples-3.09%
Food-1.99%
Agricultural Products0.54%
Packaged Foods and Meats-2.19%
Industry PE
  • Investors are most optimistic about the Packaged Foods and Meats industry, which is trading close to its 3-year average PE ratio of 16.1x.
    • Analysts are expecting annual earnings growth of 10.6%, which is lower than the prior year's growth of 22.6% per year.
  • Investors are most pessimistic about the Agricultural Products industry, although it looks like investor sentiment has improved given that it's trading above its 3-year average of 9.7x.
Forecasted Growth
  • Analysts are most optimistic on the Packaged Foods and Meats industry, expecting annual earnings growth of 11% over the next 5 years.
  • However this is lower than its past earnings growth rate of 23% per year.
  • In contrast, the Agricultural Products industry is expected to see its earnings decline by 5.9% per year over the next few years.

Top Stock Gainers and Losers

Which companies have driven the market over the last 7 days?

CompanyLast Price7D1YValuation
GNC Greencore GroupUK£2.481.6%
+UK£31.7m		40.8%PE34.2x
MPE M.P. Evans GroupUK£15.983.2%
+UK£26.0m		60.8%PE10.1x
PFD Premier FoodsUK£1.940.9%
+UK£14.6m		-1.0%PE12.6x
ANP AnparioUK£5.057.4%
+UK£7.2m		29.5%PE15.4x
MHPC MHPUS$8.000.8%
+US$6.4m		49.8%PE4.1x

Latest News

ABF
UK£18.29
Associated British Foods
7D
-4.0%
1Y
-15.3%

ABF: Cost Discipline And New CFO Appointment Will Support Future Share Upside

Analysts have trimmed their price target on Associated British Foods to £22.50, reflecting slightly adjusted assumptions on long run revenue growth, profit margins, and future P/E following recent research commentary, including a downgrade at RBC Capital. Analyst Commentary Recent research has introduced a more cautious headline stance on Associated British Foods, along with a trim to the price target to £22.50.
TATE
UK£3.45
Tate & Lyle
7D
0.2%
1Y
-35.6%

TATE: Reset Price Expectations Will Support Future Upside If Margins Hold

The analyst price target for Tate & Lyle has been reduced by approximately £0.17 per share, as analysts incorporate slightly lower fair value estimates, a modestly higher discount rate, and more conservative assumptions for revenue growth, profit margins, and future P/E multiples. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research shows a series of reductions to Tate & Lyle price targets in £0.15 to £0.24 per share increments, with at least one target now set at £5.00 from £5.40.
HFG
UK£5.25
Hilton Food Group
7D
-0.8%
1Y
-40.3%

HFG: Rebased Expectations And Leadership Transition Will Support Future Share Price Upside

Hilton Food Group’s analyst fair value estimate has moved from £6.89 to £7.39, as analysts factor in updated expectations on growth, margins and future P/E following recent mixed price target changes from Berenberg and Deutsche Bank. Analyst Commentary Recent Street research on Hilton Food Group has included both price target raises and cuts, which helps explain the recalibration of fair value estimates as analysts reassess growth, margins and future P/E expectations.
MPE
UK£15.98
M.P. Evans Group
7D
3.2%
1Y
60.8%

MPE: Progressive Dividend Track Record Will Support Measured Future Returns

Analysts have lifted their price target on M.P. Evans Group to £16.66, citing an updated view on fair value, discount rate, revenue trends, profit margins and future P/E assumptions that together support a slightly higher valuation framework. What's in the News The board is recommending a final dividend of 42 pence per share for the year ended 31 December 2025, compared with 37.5 pence per share a year earlier, as part of its stated progressive dividend policy (Key Developments).
GNC
UK£2.48
Greencore Group
7D
1.6%
1Y
40.8%

GNC: Execution Progress And New Partnerships Are Expected To Unlock Future Upside

Analysts have lifted their price target for Greencore Group to £2.93, citing supportive Street research that presents a constructive view on the shares and underpins this updated narrative. Analyst Commentary Bullish Takeaways Bullish analysts view the refreshed price target of £2.93 as consistent with a more constructive stance on execution, arguing that current valuation reflects a measured outlook on the business rather than aggressive expectations.
RE.
UK£1.16
R.E.A. Holdings
7D
-0.9%
1Y
74.4%
FVA
UK£1.33
Fevara
7D
6.0%
1Y
4.3%
ANP
UK£5.05
Anpario
7D
7.4%
1Y
29.5%
AEP
UK£18.52
AEP Plantations
7D
-3.0%
1Y
150.3%
CAM
UK£50.25
Camellia
7D
2.8%
1Y
20.8%
WYN
UK£3.55
Wynnstay Group
7D
-0.7%
1Y
19.3%
CWK
UK£52.80
Cranswick
7D
-0.6%
1Y
3.9%
PRN
UK£3.75
Princes Group
7D
-2.3%
1Y
n/a
PFD
UK£1.94
Premier Foods
7D
0.9%
1Y
-1.0%
MHPC
US$8.00
MHP
7D
0.8%
1Y
49.8%

MHP SE's (LON:MHPC) Share Price Boosted 26% But Its Business Prospects Need A Lift Too

Jan 29
MHP SE's (LON:MHPC) Share Price Boosted 26% But Its Business Prospects Need A Lift Too
DISH
UK£0.00065
Amala Foods
7D
-13.3%
1Y
n/a