Of the 1,601 respondents included in the final survey analysis, 124 companies (about 12 percent of the total sample) represent the food and beverage industry.
Ninety-one percent of food and beverage respondents report being very or somewhat optimistic about growth prospects for their companies, a 20 percent increase from the 2009 survey. Ninety-one percent of the food and beverage companies responding are privately held; 37 percent are manufacturing only, 31 percent are distribution only and 40 percent have a combination of manufacturing and distribution activities.