| | Tables and Figures
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Employed labour force
In 2005, 130,900 Albertans were employed in manufacturing industries across the province. The largest segment was represented by food and beverage processing firms employing 22,300 persons or 17 per cent of total manufacturing workers. Meat product manufacturing industries employed the greatest number of processing workers in the province (11,400).
Employment in Alberta's Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industries - 22,300
- Meat Product Manufacturing, 11,400 (51.1 per cent)
- Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing, 2,800 (12.6 per cent)
- Other Food Manufacturing (Including Snack Foods), 2,000 (9.0 per cent)
- All Other Food Manufacturing, 3,800 (17.0 per cent)
- Beverage Manufacturing, 2,300 (10.3 per cent)
During recent years, employment in food and beverage industries has trended downwards from a record 28,000 in 2002 to 22,300 by 2005. The decline was partially attributable to job losses experienced in meat product manufacturing industries which were impacted by the incidence of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) reported in Alberta in May, 2003. The number of meat processing workers has dropped from 13,600 in 2002 to 11,400 in 2005. At the same time, employment in non-meat product industries also decreased from 11,400 to 8,600.
In 2005, the province's largest retail sector was represented by 55,600 Albertans employed in grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores and specialty food stores. This was slightly up from 55,300 in 2004. Following two consecutive annual gains, employment in food services and drinking places reached a record 100,100 in 2004. However, employment dropped to 85,300 in 2005.
Exports to other countries
Following a 28.1 per cent increase in 2004, exports of food and beverage products from Alberta decreased 3.9 per cent in 2005 to total $2.6 billion. These exports accounted for 51.7 per cent of the province's total agri-food exports of $5.0 billion (includes animals and crops plus value added products). At $2.5 billion, food products were down 3.7 per cent. The decline in beverage exports ($56.9 million) was greater at 8.9 per cent.
At $2.0 billion in 2005, meat (fresh/chilled/frozen) and processed meats were the province's largest food export (77.3 per cent). The next three largest products were processed potatoes ($204 million), malt (roasted or not) ($94 million) and canola/mustard oil (refined) ($72 million).
Beef remains Alberta's number one export product. The United States is the top export market for the province's beef followed by Mexico. After a substantial increase of 40.1 per cent in 2004, beef exports to all countries decreased 7.0 per cent in 2005 to $1.4 billion. In comparison, exports of pork were up for the third consecutive year to total $464 million (29.8 per cent increase in 2005). Since 2001, Japan has been Alberta's largest market for pork, followed by the United States and Mexico. In 2005, more than one-half of Alberta's pork exports went to Japan ($246 million).
Average weekly earnings
Alberta's food manufacturing Industries continue to face competition for wages from higher paying industries, most notably oil and gas extraction industries and construction. In 2005, average weekly earnings (including overtime) for all Alberta industries were $769.13, an increase of 5.2 per cent over 2004. Food manufacturing workers earned $697.46, 2.9 per cent higher than a year ago. This was below the average wage of $920.64 for the manufacturing sector as a whole. In comparison, workers in oil and gas extraction industries earned an average of $1,547.44 (up 4.1 per cent) and construction workers earned $957.63 (up 6.4 per cent).
Food and beverage manufacturing shipments
In 2005, Canadian food and beverage manufacturing industries generated $77.7 billion in goods shipped, a 2.7 increase over 2004. Approximately 80 per cent of processing activity in the country originated from three provinces: Ontario (41.8 per cent), Quebec (25.2 per cent) and Alberta (12.4 per cent). Alberta remains the top producer of red meat products (predominately beef and pork) in Canada at $3.6 billion or 35.6 per cent of the national total ($10.2 billion).
Alberta's manufacturing sector is dominated by three industries. During the ten-year period from 1995-2004, food and beverage processing industries represented the largest segment, averaging about 21 per cent of the province's total manufactured goods shipped. Chemical manufacturing industries followed at 19 per cent and petroleum and coal products industries at 16 per cent. However, in 2005, a shift occurred as manufacturing shipments for food and beverage industries decreased and petroleum and coal products industries recorded double-digit growth for the third consecutive year. The contribution of Alberta's food and beverage manufacturing activity to the province's total manufacturing sector has declined from 21.6 per cent in 2002 to 16.2 per cent in 2005.
Alberta's Oil and Gas Industries Continue to Report Strong Growth
While manufacturing activity in Alberta's food and beverage processing industries has fluctuated in recent years, the province's energy sector has been fueled by high prices and increased investment in oil sand projects. Crude oil and natural gas prices have recently hit all-time highs and demand for energy services and drilling activity is expanding significantly. Consequently, shipments of petroleuum and coal products have accelerated and in 2005 reached a record $12.8 billion. Petroleum and coal products shipments now rank as the largest manufactuing segment (21.5 per cent) in Alberta replacing food and beverage industries (16.2 per cent). At the same time, chemical manufacturing industries have reported recent solid growth and in 2005 ranked second largest at $10.5 billion (17.8 per cent). |
In 2005, 85 per cent of Alberta's food manufacturing activity was concentrated in four segments. Food production continued to be dominated by meat product processing (livestock and poultry slaughter, processing and rendering) which generated $4.7 billion or 54.5 per cent of food shipments. Dairy product manufacturing comprised the next largest segment at $1.3 billion (15.3 per cent) followed by grain and oilseed milling at $735 million (8.5 per cent) and animal food including feed manufacturing at $528 million (6.1 per cent). The remaining 15.0 per cent was distributed among bakeries and tortilla manufacturing (includes dry pasta manufacturing), snack foods and other miscellaneous food manufacturing.
In 2003, food and beverage shipments were adversely affected by the incidence of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) reported in Alberta. Comprising the largest food segment (over 50 per cent), meat product shipments dropped 7.4 per cent. Overall, food and beverage shipments fell 4.2 per cent. In 2004, food and beverage shipments recovered with a 4.6 per cent gain, reaching a record $9.8 billion. Increased consumer demand helped push meat product shipments up by 4.3 per cent. Other food industries also reported growth, notably dairy product industries (up 3.8 per cent) and grain and oilseed milling industries (up 15.0 per cent). Unfortunately in 2005, meat processor labour disputes partially contributed to a 7.2 per cent decline in meat product shipments. Combined with decreases in grain and oilseed milling and animal food manufacturing, food and beverage shipments dropped 2.3 per cent in 2005 to $9.6 billion.
Tables and Figures
Tables | PDF File
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| Table 20 - Alberta Food and Beverage Industries, Selected Activity Indicators, 1996-2005 | |
| Table 21 - Employed Labour Force in Alberta Food and Beverage Manufacturing Industries, 1996-2005
Table 22 - Alberta Average Weekly Earnings for Food Related Industries (1), 1996-2005 | |
| Table 23 - Alberta and Canada Value of Manufacturing Shipments for Food and Beverage Industries, 1990-2005 | |
| Table 24 - Alberta Value of Manufacturing Shipments for Food and Beverage Industries, 2001-2005 | |
| Table 25 - Value of Manufacturing Shipments for Meat Product Industries, Canada and Provinces, 1996-2005 | |
| Table 26 - Alberta Food and Beverage Exports to Other Countries, 1996-2005 | |
| Table 27 - Food Consumed by Commodity Per Person in Canada (1), 1991-2005 | |
Table 28 - Alberta Restaurant, Caterer and Tavern Receipts, 1996-2005
Table 29 - Alberta Retail Sales For Food and Beverage Stores, 1996-2005 | |
| Table 30 - Edmonton Monthly Retail Food Price Indices (1), 2004 and 2005 | |
| Table 31 - Edmonton Nutritious Food Basket - Weekly Average Cost for a Family of Four, 2005 | |
| Table 32 - Per Capita Consumption of Meats in Canada and United States, 1976-2005 | |
| Table 33 - Alberta Honey Statistics, 1987-2005 | |
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Figures | PDF File
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Figure 12 - 2005 Distribution of Alberta Food and Beverage Manufacturing Shipments
Figure 13 - Alberta Food and Beverage Manufacturing Shipments, 1996 - 2005 | |
| Figure 14 - Alberta Retail Sales for Supermarkets and Grocery Stores, 1996 - 2005 | |
| Figure 15 - Edmonton Monthly Retail Food Price Indices (Jan 1988=100), 2003 - 2005 | |
| Figure 16 - Edmonton Nutritious Food Basket - Weekly Average Cost for a Family of Four in 2005 | |
| Figure 17 - Beef and Poultry Consumption in Canada and the United States, 1976 - 2005 | |
| Figure 18 - Honey Production in Alberta, 1994 - 2005 | |
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