NAICS 424430

Overview

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is the federal standard for categorizing business establishments so statistical agencies can collect, analyze, and publish data about the U.S. economy. Developed under the Office of Management and Budget and adopted in 1997 to replace the SIC system, NAICS was created jointly by the U.S. ECPC, Statistics Canada, and Mexico’s INEGI to enable cross-country comparability. The current classification vintage is 2022. ¹

NAICS 424430 — Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers — covers establishments primarily engaged in the merchant wholesale distribution of dairy products that are not dried or canned. Illustrative examples include butter, cheese, cream, fluid milk (non-canned), ice cream and ices, and yogurt. ²

See also on G2X:

• G2X — NAICS 424430 overview
• G2X — NAICS 424410
• G2X — NAICS 424490

What this NAICS covers

• Merchant wholesale distribution of butter. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of cheese. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of cream. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of fluid milk (except canned). ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of ice cream and ices. ²
• Merchant wholesale distribution of yogurt and cultured dairy products. ²

Related NAICS and PSC codes

Key exclusions and cross-references

• Dried or canned dairy products and dairy substitutes are classified under NAICS 424490. ²
• Pasteurizing and bottling milk is classified under NAICS 311511 (manufacturing), not wholesale. ²
• Packaged frozen foods (except dairy) fall under NAICS 424420. ²

Small business size standard

• The small business size standard for NAICS 424430 is 200 employees (effective March 17, 2023). ⁴

Census data products that report on this industry

• The Annual Wholesale Trade Survey publishes national statistics by 2- through 4-digit NAICS, including the grocery and related product wholesaler group containing NAICS 424430. ³
• The 2022 Economic Census releases statistics organized on the 2022 NAICS basis for the Wholesale Trade sector, which includes NAICS 424430. ⁶

Frequently asked questions

• What activities fall under NAICS 424430?

  • Establishments primarily engaged in merchant wholesale distribution of dairy products that are not dried or canned. Examples include butter, cheese, cream, fluid milk (non-canned), ice cream and ices, and yogurt. ²

• How does NAICS 424430 differ from NAICS 424420 and NAICS 424490?

  • NAICS 424420 covers packaged frozen foods (excluding dairy). NAICS 424490 covers other groceries, including dried or canned dairy and substitutes. NAICS 424430 covers non-dried, non-canned dairy. ²

• What is the current small business size standard for NAICS 424430?

  • 200 employees, as specified in SBA’s Table of Small Business Size Standards effective March 17, 2023. ⁴

• Which PSC typically aligns with dairy product wholesale buys?

  • PSC 8910 — Dairy Foods and Eggs — is the product code used for dairy foods and eggs in federal procurement data. ⁵

• Where can official Census statistics for dairy merchant wholesalers be found?

  • Sector-level and detailed industry data are released via the Economic Census for Wholesale Trade, with complementary annual indicators in the Annual Wholesale Trade Survey. ⁶

Useful resources

• G2X — NAICS 424430 overview
• U.S. Census Bureau — NAICS introduction and current search tools. ¹
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 NAICS Manual industry description for NAICS 424430. ²
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census, Wholesale Trade sector resources. ⁶
• U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey tip sheet. ³

References

1. U.S. Census Bureau — North American Industry Classification System (NAICS): Official site. https://www.census.gov/naics/
2. U.S. Census Bureau — 2017 NAICS Manual, Wholesale Trade descriptions for 424420, 424430, 424490 (pp. 334–337). https://www2.census.gov/library/reference/naics/publications/2017-NAICS-Manual.pdf
3. U.S. Census Bureau — 2024 Annual Wholesale Trade Survey press release. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2024/annual-wholesale-trade-survey.html
4. U.S. Small Business Administration — Table of Small Business Size Standards (effective March 17, 2023), Sector 42 entry for 424430. https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/Table%20of%20Size%20Standards_Effective%20March%2017%2C%202023%20%282%29.pdf
5. Acquisition.gov — Product and Service Codes (PSC) Manual (April 2022), Group 89 Subsistence (8910 Dairy Foods and Eggs). https://www.acquisition.gov/sites/default/files/manual/PSC%20Manual%20April%202022.pdf
6. U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 Economic Census, NAICS Sector 42 Wholesale Trade. https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/econ/economic-census/naics-sector-42.html