NAICS 311991

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for classifying business establishments to enable consistent collection, analysis, and publication of statistics on the U.S. economy. Developed by the Office of Management and Budget in collaboration with Canada and Mexico, NAICS replaced SIC in 1997 and is revised every five years; the current edition is 2022. ¹
NAICS 311991 (Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing) covers establishments primarily engaged in producing short‑shelf‑life prepared foods such as salads, sandwiches, prepared meals, fresh pizza, fresh pasta, and peeled or cut vegetables. The category emphasizes refrigerated or otherwise perishable items produced in manufacturing settings, as opposed to frozen or shelf‑stable products classified elsewhere in the Food Manufacturing sector. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 311991 overview
• G2X — NAICS 311999 overview
• G2X — NAICS 311823 overview

What this NAICS covers

• Ready‑to‑eat salads and sandwich manufacturing. ²
• Fresh, perishable prepared meal production (chilled/short‑shelf‑life). ²
• Fresh pizza preparation (not frozen or shelf‑stable). ²
• Fresh pasta manufacturing (non‑dried), including stuffed varieties. ²
• Processing and packaging of peeled or cut fresh vegetables. ²
• Other perishable prepared food items consistent with the industry definition. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Type	Code	Descriptor
NAICS	311999	All Other Miscellaneous Food Manufacturing
NAICS	311823	Dry Pasta Manufacturing
NAICS	311423	Dried and Dehydrated Food Manufacturing

Scope notes and boundary highlights

• Fresh pasta belongs in NAICS 311991; dry pasta belongs in NAICS 311823. ²
• Drying or dehydrating ingredients for products packaged with other purchased ingredients is classified in NAICS 311423. ²
• Mixing purchased dried/dehydrated ingredients with purchased dry pasta (e.g., meal kits using dry components) is classified in NAICS 311999. ²

Data publication under NAICS 2022

Census programs began releasing data on the 2022 NAICS basis with the 2022 Economic Census First Look in January 2024 and expect broad adoption across programs by the end of 2027; additional detailed releases follow on a flow basis. ³

Frequently asked questions

• What activities are included under NAICS 311991?
  Establishments that manufacture perishable prepared foods such as salads, sandwiches, prepared meals, fresh pizza, fresh pasta, and peeled or cut vegetables are included. The emphasis is on short‑shelf‑life, ready or near‑ready foods produced in manufacturing settings. ²
  See also on G2X: NAICS 311991.

• How does NAICS 311991 differ from NAICS 311999 and 311823?
  NAICS 311991 covers perishable prepared foods; NAICS 311999 captures other miscellaneous foods (often shelf‑stable or dry mixes); NAICS 311823 is for dry pasta manufacturing. Cross‑references distinguish fresh/perishable from dry/shelf‑stable production. ²

• Where can official statistics for NAICS 311991 be found?
  The 2022 Economic Census publishes industry tables by NAICS, including sector 31–33 (Manufacturing). Users can browse industry‑level tables to locate data for NAICS 311991 when available for the 2022 vintage. ⁴

• What is the current NAICS vintage and how often does it change?
  NAICS is reviewed and revised every five years; the most recent edition is 2022. Census programs are transitioning publications to the 2022 basis per the implementation schedule. ³

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 311991 overview
• Census NAICS definition: Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing (U.S. industry 311991). ²
• Census: Implementation of the 2022 NAICS (vintage, transition timeline). ³
• 2022 Economic Census — Data tables by industry (sector 31–33). ⁴

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — About Industry: NAICS background and five‑year updates through 2022. https://www.census.gov/topics/employment/industry-occupation/about/industry.html
2. U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS Manufacturing sector definitions (includes 311991 Perishable Prepared Food Manufacturing and cross‑references). https://www.census.gov/naics/resources/archives/sect31-33.html
3. U.S. Census Bureau — Implementation of the 2022 NAICS: description and timeline. https://www.census.gov/library/reference/code-lists/naics/2022/implementation-timeline.html
4. U.S. Census Bureau — Economic Census by Industry: 2022 tables. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/economic-census/data/tables/industry.html