Unwrapping the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry In Chicago

Chicago is a hub of many things—food, sports, community—but powering these unique, vibrant opportunities are the businesses that call Chicago home.

As of 2025, there are 4,500 food and beverage companies in Chicago. They employ more than 130,000 people and generate a whopping $32 billion each year. While not all of these companies are strictly CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods) related, there's no denying the impact that consumer packaged goods businesses have on this city.

Chicago is home to of many brands that line store shelves around the world. Mars-Wrigley, Kraft Heinz, McCain Foods, and Conagra—these are just a slice of the CPG powerhouses taking full advantage of the resources Chicago has to offer.

For the past 10 years, Do Tank, known our industry knowledge and use of design thinking, have been helping teams within Consumer Packaged brands with their strategy, transformational change, and innovation projects from our River North design studio.

In this piece, we will explore what makes Chicago such an ideal location for CPG companies and how this city can help support strategy, transformational change, and innovation projects.

How did we get here?

Every innovator in Chicago has their own story, but the most famous one (and easily explainable for a single article) probably comes from William Wrigley.

In 1892, William Wrigley came to Chicago, the midwestern hub for business and trade, to make and sell soap. To boost his profits, William sold baking powder and chewing gum (created from leftover soap ingredients) on the side. This side business took off, eventually leading to the Mars-Wrigley that lines today's shelves.

Millions of stories like this later—entrepreneurs failing and succeeding, teams branching, and innovators relentlessly pursing their visions—we have today's Chicago: A dynamic tapestry of the world's largest CPG brands.

Why Chicago?

Though they might share the same names, the businesses that came to Chicago during William Wrigley's are much different from those of today. As of 2025, Chicago offers the following major benefits to CPG companies large and small:

• Limitless Pool of Talent: Chicago offers a deep pool of experienced professionals across the CPG value chain, from marketing and sales to R&D and supply chain management. This diverse workforce is enhanced by top-tier universities like the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, providing a steady pipeline of skilled talent. The concentration of industry players also creates a strong network, facilitating knowledge and talent sharing.
• Where Technology meets Innovation: Chicago provides access to wide assortment of tech start-ups and innovators developing solutions tailored to the industry's evolving needs. This includes advancements in e-commerce and DTC strategies, marketing technology for personalized consumer engagement, and supply chain technology for enhanced visibility and efficiency. The city's growing AI and data science community also offers expertise for analyzing consumer data and optimizing operations.
• Mature and Robust Supply Chain: A central location and mature supply chain make Chicago a premier distribution hub and testing ground for CPG companies. This city's extensive rail and trucking networks enables efficient and cost-effective movement of goods, while the network of warehouses, distribution centers, and logistics providers supports more complex supply chain demands. Diverse demographics also position Chicago as ideal location for testing new products and supply chain innovations.

What's next for Chicago and Change Transformation?

Earlier we mentioned that Chicago isn't just a hub, it's a dynamic tapestry of the world's largest brands—and we used the word dynamic for a reason. As much as we'd like to rely on our old, trusty tools and notions, industry in Chicago (and around the globe) is in a constant state of flux.

At Do Tank, our team of subject-matter-experts—from industrial designers to marketeers—know the CPG industry inside and out, but that doesn't stop us from asking broad questions and looking towards the future.

Here's where we think the CPG industry in Chicago is going and the challenges/opportunities you should be prepared for:

• Digital transformation is hitting CPG hard. The companies that thrive will be those that embrace advanced analytics, AI-powered supply chains, and direct consumer relationships. Chicago's unique combination of tech talent and CPG expertise makes it perfectly positioned to lead this shift.
• Sustainability isn't just talk anymore. Chicago's CPG companies are tackling environmental challenges, from circular packaging initiatives to climate-smart agriculture partnerships. There's a recognition that consumers expect better, and companies are responding with real innovation, not just greenwashing.
• Community will drive the next wave of innovation. The exciting development? The emergence of formal and informal communities bringing together players across the CPG spectrum. From industry-specific incubators to cross-company innovation groups, these collaborative spaces are accelerating progress in ways individual organizations simply can't match.

Let's Get to Work

We're a team of innovators, designers, subject-matter experts, and change transformation specialists that have worked with brands like Mars-Wrigley, McCain Foods, and many many more. We're always asking key questions and applying our wealth of CPG knowledge to today's challenges to help your team move from thinking to doing.

To discover how our team of design thinking experts can help unlock your strategy, transformational change, and innovation projects, reach out at https://dotankdo.com/.

Or, reach out to our chief CPG designer Mark Penver directly.