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Catering Services in Australia Industry Data and Analysis
The Catering Services industry has endured an unpredictable period over the past few years. Numerous events, venues and airlines cancelled their catering services during the COVID-19 pandemic while office closures and working-from-home trends reduced government and business sector sales. These trends ate into industrywide profitability and caused revenue to plummet in 2019-20. However, a swift rebound in tourism and live events supported a jump in industry revenue as pandemic restrictions eased over the two years through 2022-23. Industry revenue has taken another hit over the past two years thanks to economywide inflationary pressures, creating considerable volatility. Overall, revenue has climbed by an annualised 7.0% to $12.7 billion over the five years through 2024-25.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Catering Services industry in Australia includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released April 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Catering Services industry in Australia operates under the ANZSIC industry code H4513. The Catering Services companies primarily provide catering services at specified locations or events. Meals, snacks and beverages are transported, prepared and served on or off premises as the client requires. Related terms covered in the Catering Services industry in Australia include food service and full-service contract.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Catering Services industry in Australia include Meals for takeaway consumption, On-premises catering and Liquor and other beverages.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Catering Services industry in Australia include Compass Group Australia, Downer and Sodexo Australia.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Catering Services industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Catering Services industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Catering Services industry in Australia.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Catering Services industry in Australia. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Catering Services industry in Australia. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Catering Services industry in Australia. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Catering Services industry in Australia. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Catering Services industry in Australia.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Catering Services industry in Australia in 2026?
The market size of the Catering Services industry in Australia is $12.7bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Catering Services industry in Australia in 2025?
There are 5,089 businesses in the Catering Services industry in Australia, which has grown at a CAGR of 5.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Catering Services industry in Australia?
The Catering Services industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Catering Services industry in Australia?
The Catering Services industry in Australia is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Catering Services industry in Australia grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Catering Services industry in Australia has been growing at a CAGR of 7.0 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Catering Services industry in Australia over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Catering Services industry in Australia is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Catering Services industry in Australia?
The biggest companies operating in the Catering Services industry in Australia are Compass Group Australia, Downer and Sodexo Australia
What does the Catering Services industry in Australia include?
On-premises catering and Meals for takeaway consumption are part of the Catering Services industry in Australia.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Catering Services industry in Australia?
The company holding the most market share in the Catering Services industry in Australia is Compass Group Australia.
How competitive is the Catering Services industry in Australia?
The level of competition is high and increasing in the Catering Services industry in Australia.
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