NACE 46.3 – Wholesale of Food, Beverages and Tobacco | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 46.3 covers the wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco — from meat and dairy products through fish and fruit to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. This group is one of the highest-volume supply segments in public procurement, as canteens, refectories, hospital and care catering are tendered regularly.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: January 2026

What does NACE 46.3 cover?

NACE 46.3 (Wholesale of food, beverages and tobacco) classifies companies that supply food and beverages at wholesale to processors, large consumers and retailers — in the public context primarily to community catering facilities such as canteens, refectories, schools and hospitals.

Group 46.3 within Division 46 (Wholesale trade) is divided into seven classes:

Public contracting authorities in this segment include universities and universities of applied sciences (refectories), hospitals and rehabilitation clinics in public ownership, care homes, schools, kindergartens and the armed forces (Bundeswehr, Bundesheer).

Public Tenders: Scope of NACE 46.3

Food wholesale is one of the most frequently tendered supply segments in the public sector — public community catering serves millions of people every day in Germany and Austria and generates substantial procurement volumes.

Typical contract types

• Refectory and canteen catering: Full-range supply contracts for student unions, university refectories, public-sector staff canteens
• Hospital catering: Food delivery for patient catering, staff restaurants and cafeterias in clinics and rehabilitation centres
• School catering: Daily fresh food, lunch delivery for schools with all-day operation, kindergartens and day-care facilities
• Armed forces and government catering: Large-volume contracts of the armed forces and correctional facilities for basic foodstuffs and ready-made products
• Care facilities: Supply of dietary foods, fresh food, frozen food for public homes for the elderly and care homes
• Beverage supply: Drinking water, mineral water, hot beverage bases for government buildings and events
• Emergency stocks and strategic reserves: State food stockpiling for civil protection

Thresholds and procedure types

Food supply contracts from EUR 221,000 (other public contracting authorities) or EUR 143,000 (top federal authorities) must be tendered EU-wide on TED. In practice, food framework agreements are preferentially awarded in the open procedure — often divided into lots by goods group (e.g. Lot 1 meat products, Lot 2 dairy, Lot 3 fruit and vegetables). Sub-threshold procurements for smaller facilities run as direct awards or through central procurement bodies.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 46.3

CPV codes for food are fine-grained — lot-based tendering by goods group is required under procurement law and is reflected in different CPV codes.

Current tenders with these CPV codes can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms.

Who is NACE 46.3 relevant for in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

The main contracting authorities in food wholesale are:

• Student unions and student bodies: Operate refectories and cafeterias at higher education institutions — among the largest public food buyers
• Municipal hospitals and university clinics: Daily catering of patients, staff and accompanying persons requires weekly deliveries in large quantities
• Municipalities and cities: School catering, kindergarten lunches, municipal care home catering
• Armed forces and correctional services: Large-volume supply of basic foodstuffs, frequently through framework agreements of the Procurement Office
• Federal authorities and state agencies: Canteens in ministries, courts, police headquarters

Companies and bidders

Food wholesalers seeking to win public tenders typically need:

• Food-law authorisation: Registration and, where applicable, authorisation under Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (food hygiene), HACCP documentation
• Certifications: IFS Food, BRC, ISO 22000 — required by many public contracting authorities as a minimum standard
• Logistics capacity: Own chilled and frozen logistics, reliable daily delivery, backup systems in case of failure
• Sustainability evidence: Organic certification, Fairtrade, regional origin evidence — frequently weighted as an award criterion
• Economic and financial capacity: Turnover and reference evidence of comparable large-customer supplies

SME suppliers are advised to form joint bidders or to participate in lots with a limited range to remain competitive against larger system suppliers.

NACE 46.3 in context: Section G and Division 46

NACE 46.3 is the highest-volume segment within food trade with a direct link to public community catering — one of the most significant procurement fields for municipal and institutional contracting authorities.

• NACE G – Trade: Parent section covering all trade activities
• NACE 46 – Wholesale trade: Division covering all wholesale activities
• NACE 46.2 – Wholesale of agricultural raw materials: Raw materials before processing
• NACE 46.4 – Wholesale of household goods: Hygiene items, cleaning, office supplies
• NACE 56 – Food and beverage service activities: Related services for community catering

Frequently asked questions on NACE 46.3 and public tenders

How are food framework agreements typically structured?
Larger contracting authorities divide the procurement into goods-group lots (e.g. Lot 1 meat/poultry, Lot 2 dairy, Lot 3 fruit/vegetables, Lot 4 frozen food). Call-off orders run monthly or weekly over the contract period (usually 1–4 years with extension option).

Are sustainability criteria binding in food tenders?
Sustainability criteria (organic, regional, animal welfare) are increasingly used as award criteria but are not legally binding minimum requirements provided they are applied without discrimination. Some municipalities have self-commitments to a certain organic share in procurement (e.g. 50 % organic in Munich).

Can small suppliers participate in refectory tenders?
Yes, particularly through the lot structure. Regional bakeries, butchers or fruit growers can bid on individual goods group lots if they can demonstrate the required delivery continuity. Joint bidders broaden the opportunities for smaller suppliers.

What hygiene requirements apply to food deliveries to public facilities?
All food businesses must comply with Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 and Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and present HACCP concepts. Many contracting authorities also require recognised certifications (IFS, BRC, ISO 22000) as a suitability prerequisite.

Last updated: January 2026
All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.