Cyberattacks surge as food and beverage becomes prime target

Food and beverage cyberattacks: summary

• Cybercriminals are targeting food and beverage suppliers, manufacturers and retailers, as well as foodservice
• Ransomware threatens production, supply chains, revenues and food safety
• Food companies’ growing digitalisation creates more opportunities for attackers
• Industry has recorded 220 ransomware attacks so far this year
• Experts urge stronger cyber defences as threats rapidly evolve

The food and beverage industry is under increasing threat from cybercriminals.

Over the past year, we’ve seen every stage of the industry impacted – from suppliers right through to retailers. And the situation is escalating fast, with majors including Coca-Cola and Heineken attacked.

And it’s not just manufacturing at risk. The service sector is increasingly finding itself a target to criminals, with fast food restaurant Chick-fil-A hit in June.

“Cybercriminals don’t just target banks or governments,” says Dray Agha, senior manager of security operations at cyber defence platform, Huntress.

Cybercrime escalates

The growing wave of attacks highlights the increasing vulnerability of an industry that has rapidly embraced digitalisation.

From manufacturing plants and logistics networks to customer databases and payment systems, food and beverage businesses now depend heavily on technology to keep operations running smoothly.

But as digital systems become more deeply embedded across operations, they also create more opportunities for cybercriminals to gain access and cause disruption.

Food and beverage companies are particularly attractive targets because they operate complex supply chains and rely heavily on continuous production. Even short periods of downtime can lead to significant financial losses, product waste and disruptions to customers, making businesses more likely to pay ransoms to restore operations quickly.

Ransomware remains one of the most significant threats, with attackers seeking to encrypt critical systems and demand payments in exchange for restoring access. Though experts warn that data theft, supply chain compromises and business email scams are also becoming more common.

And for food manufacturers, the consequences can extend far beyond financial losses. In some cases, cyberattacks can impact traceability systems, temperature monitoring and production controls. This can force companies to halt production, delay shipments or carry out product withdrawals while they verify the integrity of their systems and records.

“The industry relies on the just-in-time delivery of essential products and services,” says Jonathan Braley, director of security expert company Food and Ag-ISAC. This approach means the impact from a ransomware attack is often felt immediately. “A shutdown or pause in production can disrupt supply chains and cause reputational and financial challenges for the victim organisation.”

Meanwhile retailers and foodservice operators face similar risks, with the added danger of consumer data breaches damaging brand reputation and destroying trust.

As a result, cyberattacks are no longer isolated IT issues but a growing threat across the entire value chain.

“We’ve tracked 220 ransomware attacks against the sector in 2026 by 46 different groups,” says Braley. This is in comparison to 265 ransomware incidents in total throughout 2025. In other words, the threat is escalating fast as cybercriminals become more sophisticated.

To combat the growing cyber threat, food and beverage manufacturers are investing in stronger cybersecurity measures, including enhanced monitoring, supply chain risk management and employee training.

Regulatory requirements and customer expectations are also driving greater investment in cyber resilience. Increasingly, manufacturers are being asked to demonstrate robust security practices by customers, insurers and regulators before securing contracts or coverage.

But more needs to be done.

Tackling the threat

Experts are urging companies across the industry to strengthen their cyber defences, warning that attacks now represent the single biggest threat to operations.

Key measures include:

• Deployment of multi-factor authentication (MFA): Requiring a PIN, authentication app, or another verification method alongside a password adds a critical layer of protection against cyberattacks.
• Patch management: As threat actors exploit vulnerabilities within hours of disclosure, organisations must apply security patches as quickly as possible.
• Segment IT and OT environments: Strong separation between IT and OT networks prevents attackers from using compromised corporate systems to gain access to production environments.

Source: Food and Ag-ISAC

Securing the future

The speed at which the food and beverage industry is becoming digitally connected means cybersecurity can no longer be overlooked.

As manufacturers adopt smart factory technologies, automation, cloud-based platforms and interconnected supply chains, protecting digital infrastructure is becoming just as important as protecting physical assets.

And the threat isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s really only just emerging.

Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly advanced, constantly developing new techniques to exploit vulnerabilities and target critical infrastructures.

As digitalisation accelerates, food and beverage companies will need to continually evolve their strategies to stay ahead.