Overview
Agriculture in the UK is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by European standards, but accounts for less than 1% of UK’s gross domestic product (GDP). While UK agriculture produces 58% of the country’s food needs, the UK is heavily reliant on imports to meet the varied demands of the UK consumer, who expects year-round availability of all food products.
There are strong historic and cultural ties between the UK and the United States, with the UK receptive to goods and services from the United States. The UK presents favorable market opportunities for many U.S. consumer-oriented food products, including wine, specialty food items, health food products, sauces, fish/shellfish, fruit, nuts, and juices. “Health” and convenience foods are the main driving forces in the UK value-added food and beverage market. High-quality food products, especially those perceived to have health and fitness benefits as well as environmental and animal welfare considerations, are valued by UK retailers and consumers.
The UK agricultural market continues to face post-Brexit challenges, including a smaller agricultural budget, increasing input costs (energy and other agricultural inputs), higher inflation and labor shortages. In 2025, one of the driest and warmest years on record has also impacted UK farming output. Farmers experienced almost drought like conditions which may affect crop yields and availability of domestically produced animal feed for the winter.
In 2025, the UK food and drink market adjusted to evolving consumer demands and economic pressures. Trends include continued growth in the “food to go” (takeaway/delivery) outpacing other food/drink sectors, fueled by busy lifestyles and the desire for quick, affordable meal solutions. Simultaneously, health and wellness trends persist, driving demand for functional beverages, plant-based alternatives, and convenient meal options catering to health-conscious consumers.
The cost-of-living crisis, due to energy and food inflation, continues to add strain on consumer purchases. UK food and drink manufacturers are grappling with escalating input costs, pricier EU imports, and a wide range of government mandated packaging/sustainability policies also adding costs - all contributing to a challenging operating environment.
In 2024, the United States exported a record $2.2 billion in agricultural products from the United States, a 3% increase over 2023, based on USDA data (see Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS)). U.S. exports of agricultural related products (forestry, biodiesel, and seafood) exceeded $1.58 billion surpassing consumer-oriented food and beverage products as the most important UK market sector for U.S. agricultural exports. In 2024, U.S. exports of wood pellets grew significantly due to the demand for renewable energy exceeding $1.34 billion. U.S. exports of consumer-oriented products to the UK exceeded $1.0 billion. U.S. wines, particularly from California, have established a high profile in the UK and remain strong, with U.S. exports valued at $164 million in 2024. There has also been notable success for branded snack foods and grocery goods, largely by generating niche markets and specialist distribution based upon their quality attributes.
The UK is also a key market for U.S. fish and seafood products, which reached $55.9 million in U.S. exports to the UK in 2024. Once limited primarily to canned salmon, U.S. frozen salmon and other fish, especially pollock, are increasingly entering the UK processing sector to compensate for the decline in harvested volumes of whitefish because of low levels of fish stocks in European fishing grounds.
The recently announced U.S.-UK Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) (May 2025) has significant optimism for both U.S. and UK producers. Under the EPD, U.S. beef and ethanol have increased market access with new tariff-rate quotas (TRQ). The TRQ for ethanol, which has already seen substantial utilization, is 913 million liters in 2025, and 1.4 billion liters from 2206 onwards. Negotiations are on-going between the United States and the United Kingdom on deepening the special relationship and expanding economic integration between the two countries.
Leading Sub-Sectors
Best Products/Prospects
- Processed Products: health food, mainstream grocery, snack foods
- Dried and Processed Fruit: cranberries, dried cherries, prunes, raisins, wild berries
- Nuts: almonds, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts
- Fish and Seafood: cod, pollack, salmon, other fish products
- Fresh Fruit and Vegetables: apples, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, table grapes
- Drinks: craft beer, spirits, wine, low alcohol products
- Food Ingredients: any product used for further processing
- Wood pellets and other waste/residues: for renewable fuels
Table: Tope 10 U.S. agricultural product exports to the UK by value and calendar year.
| Product Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | % Change 2023-24 |
| Forest Products | 925.0 | 889.1 | 1,141.6 | 1,295.3* | 1,626.2* | +30.1 |
| Ethanol | 47.7 | 102.3 | 161.1 | 409.9* | 532.3* | +29.9 |
| Tree Nuts | 197.2 | 172.3 | 163.0 | 162.2 | 202.2 | +24.5 |
| Wine | 244.5 | 212.2 | 173.2 | 142.7 | 164.0 | +13.8 |
| Distilled Spirits | 83.5 | 106.6 | 159.7 | 128.8 | 135.3 | +8.9 |
| Food Preparations (formally prepared food) | 155.0 | 151.5 | 119.1 | 84.0 | 100.8 | +19.7 |
| Essential Oils | 88.5 | 79.3 | 67.0 | 60.5 | 76.4 | +28.0 |
| Fresh Vegetables | 73.1 | 63.3 | 50.2 | 48.4 | 59.0 | +22.1 |
| Bakery Good, Cereals, & Pasta | 56.2 | 48.0 | 51.1 | 50.9 | 57.2 | +12.1 |
| Fish Products | 89.0 | 65.7 | 64.4 | 45.6 | 55.9 | +22.1 |
| Soybeans | 60.3 | 64.8 | 132.2 | 88.4 | 52.0 | -41.2 |
| Dextrins, Peptrones & Proteins | 53.8 | 66.8* | 63.5 | 51.4 | 49.9 | -2.8 |
| Soybean Meal | 27.0 | 30.7 | 10.9 | 66.4 | 47.4 | -34.7 |
| Chocolate and Cocoa Products | 32.3 | 27.8 | 34.2 | 31.3 | 36.2 | +15.6 |
| Confectionery | 24.9 | 35.8* | 28.0 | 31.1 | 35.5 | +12.4 |
| Processed Fruit | 33.5 | 36.0 | 31.1 | 28.1 | 33.5 | +18.5 |
| Beef and Beef Products | 2.4 | 2.5 | 4.5 | 29.4 | 32.1 | +9.1 |
| Processed Vegetables | 20.5 | 24.1 | 27.4 | 29.9 | 31.8 | +6.4 |
| Condiments and Sauces | 33.9 | 29.5 | 29.1 | 29.0 | 31.0 | +6.9 |
| Non-Alcoholic Bev (ex-juices) | 24.0 | 41.7 | 42.2 | 38.9 | 26.6 | -31.7 |
| Eggs and Products | 19.8 | 24.5 | 17.3 | 22.8 | 25.6 | +12.5 |
Source: BICO Report/U.S. Bureau of the Census Trade Data
*Denotes highest export levels since CY 1970.
For more detailed U.S. trade statistics check: USDA’s Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS).
Resources
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is represented in the UK by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) in the U.S. Embassy in London. FAS works to improve foreign market access for U.S. agricultural, fish and forestry products and operates programs designed to build new markets and improve the competitive position of U.S. agriculture in the global marketplace.
The primary role of FAS/London is to advise U.S. exporters on how to increase U.S. market presence by focusing resources on viable product categories sought after by UK buyers. The FAS office also works on the detection and elimination of trade barriers; analysis of and reporting on the UK agricultural situation, outlook, and market opportunities for U.S. agricultural, fish and forest products; and representation of U.S. agricultural policies to UK trade and public. FAS/London works in conjunction with marketing partners such as U.S. trade associations, state departments of agriculture, small businesses, and cooperatives to implement a unified export strategy.
FAS provides a range of free services to assist U.S. exporters of agricultural products in achieving export success.
More detailed information can be obtained by contacting:
United States Department of Agriculture
Embassy of the United States of America, 33 Nine Elms Lane, London, SW11 7US
Tel: +44 20 7891 3313, E-Mail: aglondon@usda.gov, Website: www.fas.usda.gov
Please review and follow FAS London’s social media sites: Twitter: @USagricultureUK, Instagram: @SavortheStates
Website: https://www.savorthestates.org/ and LinkedIn account