Food and Beverages in El Salvador
Main products in 2025
| Product | Exports (USD million) |
|---|---|
| Snacks | 211.0 |
| Meat products | 155.9 |
| Bakery and milling | 140.0 |
| Carbonated drinks | 108.0 |
| Dairy products | 67.0 |
| Confectionery | 61.0 |
| Mineral and sparkling water | 47.3 |
| Malt beer | 15.3 |
Source: Infobae: food and beverage exports grew 9.6% and passed USD 916 million in 20251
Markets
- Food: United States USD 345.3 million, Guatemala USD 315.3 million, Honduras USD 184.2 million, Nicaragua USD 97.6 million.
- Beverages: Honduras USD 67.0 million, Guatemala USD 42.3 million, United States USD 24.5 million.
- Tuna and other markets: tuna goes mainly to Europe, including Spain and Italy; other products also go to the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and South America.
Source: INVEST: food and beverage sector guide 2026; Infobae: food and beverage exports grew 9.6% and passed USD 916 million in 20252,1
Investors named by INVEST
- Grupo Calvo (Spain): canned fish, in El Salvador for more than 10 years, with USD 160 million invested and about 2,000 direct jobs.
- Hidroexpo: greenhouse peppers and tomatoes since 2002, with more than USD 23 million invested, selling locally and abroad, mainly to the United States and Canada.
Source: INVEST: food and beverage sector guide 20262
Packaging costs rose sharply: the cost of plastic raw material more than doubled, and plastic makes up about 70% of packaging costs for the food industry. Check supplier contracts before quoting export prices.1
Frequently Asked Questions
How much food and beverages does El Salvador export?
Processed foods and beverages reached USD 916.8 million in 2025, up 9.6%, according to the industrial association ASI: USD 723.9 million of foods and USD 192.9 million of beverages.
Why do sources give different export figures?
INVEST uses a wider definition of the sector and puts food exports at USD 1,339.3 million and beverages at USD 175.6 million.
Who buys Salvadoran food products?
The main buyers are Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the United States.
Sources
- Infobae: food and beverage exports grew 9.6% and passed USD 916 million in 2025 (in Spanish)
- INVEST: food and beverage sector guide 2026 (PDF)
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. It is not investment, tax or legal advice; please confirm details with a qualified adviser before acting.
