Panama Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in panama, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Food and Beverages
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Panama’s strategic position, steady economy, and diversified population all contribute to the country’s thriving food and beverage industry.

Leading Sub-sectors

Best prospects

•    Packaged and Processed Foods: includes snacks, dairy products, canned goods, frozen foods, and baked items. There are many local brands that coexists with strong international players.
•    Fresh Produce and Meats: there is a large local production of fruits and vegetables. Meat and poultry are both locally produced and importer (see the Agricultural Products’ section details below), and seafood is a notable export and domestic staple.
•    Beverages: 
- Non-alcoholic: includes bottled water, soft drinks, juices, and energy drinks.
- Alcoholic: mostly beer and rum, are the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the country. Craft beer has been growing in popularity in the last years.
•    Food Service and Hospitality: the restaurant and hospitality sectors are robust, driven by tourism and international business. Panama City has a vibrant culinary scene, influenced by Latin American, Caribbean, Asian, and North American cuisines.

Opportunities

•    Health and wellness products: there is increasing demand for health-conscious dining options, including organic, vegetarian, and gluten-free choices, especially among middle to upper-income consumers.  
•    E-commerce and delivery: the rise of food delivery services, driven by platforms like Pedidos Ya and Uber Eats, is growing rapidly.  According to Statista, the revenue in the Online Food Delivery market is projected to reach US$635.95m in 2025.
•    Local production initiatives: the government is encouraging local agribusinesses to reduce dependency on imports.

Web Resources

•    Panama Food Service Sector
•    Online Food Delivery
•    Move to Panama to Get Healthy

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