Food manufacturers of Chicago

Since the 1830s, when Chicago enjoyed a brief period of importance as a local milling center for spring wheat, the city has long been a center for the conversion of raw farm products into edible goods. Since the 1880s, Chicago has also been home to leading firms in other areas of the food processing industry, including cereals, baked goods, and candy.

In the twenty-first century, companies such as The Kraft Heinz Company, Wrigley, Sara Lee, and Tootsie Roll Industries, all maintain operations within the Chicago metropolitan area.