The global food and beverage metal cans market is valued at $57.19 billion in 2026 and is on track to reach $80.21 billion by 2031, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 7.0%, according to a new forecast from MarketsandMarkets. For foodservice operators and their supply chain partners, the data signals continued tightening in aluminum and steel packaging availability — and sustained cost pressure on canned ingredients, ready-to-drink beverages, and shelf-stable center-of-plate proteins.
Beverage Segment Leads
Beverages command the largest application share within the metal cans category, powered by carbonated soft drinks, beer, energy drinks, and sports drinks. The 330 ml can format — the standard single-serve size across most on-premise and off-premise beverage channels — is projected to hold the largest capacity-segment share and post the highest growth rate through 2031. The food application segment, which encompasses canned vegetables, soups, proteins, and ready-to-eat meals used heavily in commercial kitchens, is forecast to grow at a slightly faster 7.2% CAGR, reflecting accelerating operator demand for shelf-stable inventory buffers in a volatile supply environment.
Aluminum continues to dominate material preference over steel, driven by lightweighting initiatives, recycled-content requirements, and the logistics economics of high-volume beverage distribution. Two-piece can fabrication — the format favored by major beverage fillers — is expected to post a 7.0% CAGR, keeping pace with overall market expansion. Bright coating, the finish used on the majority of branded beverage cans, accounts for an estimated 70.7% of the coating-type segment.
Consolidation Accelerates
Leading can manufacturers are moving aggressively to lock in European capacity ahead of demand. Ball Corporation acquired Alucan, a European producer specializing in extruded aluminum aerosol and bottle technology, adding manufacturing sites in Spain and Belgium. Ball also announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Benepack S.A., a Belgian beverage can maker, further deepening its European aluminum footprint. Crown Holdings, meanwhile, acquired the Saarlouis facility in Germany, adding approximately 1 billion units of annual beverage can production capacity and absorbing the associated customer contracts. CANPACK Group formalized a collaboration with U.S.-based CANOVATION to commercialize CanReseal technology, a resealable metal can solution targeting both beverage and food applications.
The market remains moderately fragmented, with Crown Holdings, Ball Corporation, Ardagh Group, CANPACK Group, and Toyo Seikan Group Holdings collectively representing a significant but not dominant share. Competition centers on manufacturing scale, coating technology, and the ability to meet tightening sustainability specifications from major food and beverage brand owners.
Supply Chain Implications
Asia Pacific is forecast to register the fastest regional CAGR at 7.9%, reflecting urbanization, rising packaged-food penetration, and rapid growth in ready-to-drink beverage consumption across Southeast Asia and China. Europe ranks as the second-fastest-growing region, supported by robust recycling infrastructure and regulatory pressure toward circular packaging systems — factors that are making aluminum cans increasingly competitive against PET and glass in beverage-forward foodservice channels.
For commercial foodservice operators managing commodity and packaging procurement, the convergence of accelerating demand, active M&A consolidation among top suppliers, and tightening aluminum supply creates a backdrop where locking in multi-year supply agreements becomes strategically important. Operators relying on canned proteins, vegetables, and soups as kitchen staples — as well as those managing beverage program costs across high-volume dayparts — should expect continued pricing discipline from can manufacturers through the forecast period.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
