Concentration and consolidation processes manifesting themselves in takeovers of industry enterprises by domestic and international investors take place in the Polish food industry. These processes have led to a considerable concentration in some branches of food industry, particularly in the production of beer, wine and tobacco products. Nevertheless the degree of concentration in the food industry is substantially lower than that in the whole of processing industry. It results from the specificity of production of food being characterized, among others, by a relatively small capital intensity combined with a great labour intensity, a strong linkage of food-processing plants with local markets, a diversity of products and short series of production.