Food importers and distributors in Austria
For owners & export directors at food producers
Pick your product category below. Each guide names the Austria buyers who source it.
In short
Food importers and distributors in Austria buy food from producers abroad. They sell it on to shops, restaurants and factories. The main buyers are Spar Österreich, Rewe Austria and Hofer (Aldi Süd). The channels that matter are Retail, Premium & regional, Organic (Bio) and HoReCa. HoReCa means hotels, restaurants and catering. Spar and Rewe together account for well over half of Austrian grocery (industry estimates).
How to find food importers and distributors in Austria
Food importers and distributors in Austria buy food from producers abroad. They sell it on to shops, restaurants and factories. The channels that matter in Austria are Retail, Premium & regional, Organic (Bio) and HoReCa. HoReCa means hotels, restaurants and catering. We publish 7 category guides for Austria, one per product group.
Austria is a small grocery market that leans premium. Two groups dominate it: Spar and Rewe (Billa). Hofer and Lidl cover discount. Regional origin, quality seals and organic matter more here than in most countries. Austria has one of the highest organic shares in Europe. Premium own-brands are strong in every chain. For a Central-European producer, Austria is often the natural second step after Germany. The buying structures are similar and the distance is short. An Austrian listing is also a credible reference for German buyers.
Who buys food in Austria
These are the groups a buyer conversation usually starts from. We book meetings with the people inside them.
| Spar Österreich | Market-leading grocery group — supermarkets to Interspar hypermarkets |
|---|---|
| Rewe Austria | Billa and Billa Plus supermarkets + Penny discount |
| Hofer (Aldi Süd) | Hard discount — strong on premium-entry own brands |
| Lidl Österreich | Hard discount |
| Metro / Transgourmet | Cash-and-carry and delivered wholesale — the way into restaurants and hotels |
- Spar and Rewe together account for well over half of Austrian grocery (industry estimates).
- Austria has one of the EU's highest organic shares of food retail. Organic own-brands such as Ja! Natürlich and Natur*pur are normal, not niche.
- Vienna holds a large share of the restaurant and hotel demand. One city region covers much of it.
Product categories we cover in Austria
Each guide names the buyers, what they check before a listing, and how the trade is organised.
Bakery & Pastry importers & distributors
Austrian bread is sold in supermarkets and mostly baked in their own ovens. Grocery now takes more than four fifths of bread turnover, and discount has roughly doubled its share since 2022. The national bread seal requires Austrian grain, so an import competes on format instead.Confectionery & Snacks importers & distributors
Austrian sweets are decided by very few desks. Spar, Rewe, Hofer and Lidl cover most of grocery between them. Foreign brands usually arrive through a national distribution house, and every importer must license its packaging before the first pallet moves.Dairy & Cheese importers & distributors
Austrian dairy converted to feed without genetic modification back in 2010, right across the sector. That single decision sets the bar for anything imported. Add hay milk, a strong organic share and farmer-owned cooperatives, and the shelf is already well defended.Fine Foods & Delicatessen importers & distributors
Austrians pay well for good food. Delicatessen (Feinkost) shops, premium own-brands and food halls all buy imports. The buyer group is small, so one focused push can cover it.Frozen Food importers & distributors
Austria is the natural second step after Germany for frozen producers. Its buying structures copy Germany's, delivery from Central Europe is short, and the chains lean premium. The hotels, restaurants and catering (HoReCa) trade is concentrated enough to reach in one push.Meat & Charcuterie importers & distributors
Austria's largest meat processor is a supermarket group, not an independent producer. That closes the fresh-meat shelf and opens two other doors: charcuterie the chains do not make, and the catering trade. Public kitchens must now declare where the animal was born, fattened and slaughtered.Organic & Health Food importers & distributors
Austria has one of the highest organic shares in Europe. Bio, the German word for organic, is mainstream here, not a niche shelf. Ja! Natürlich, Natur*pur and Zurück zum Ursprung are the flagship own-brands. Austria is compact, so you can cover it in German in one push.
Your product category is not listed for Austria?
That does not mean no. A guide goes live only when we know that trade well. We open new markets and categories all the time. Ask us, and you will get a straight answer about whether we can help.
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Reviewed by the ProspectX export team, led by founder Casper Morawski (LinkedIn) · Last reviewed August 2026.