11 Best Food Company Stocks To Buy Now

There’s a big chance that the food in your refrigerator, cupboard, or table came from at least one of the companies that we consider the 11 best food company stocks to buy now.

When it comes to stock investment, it’s easy to defend building a portfolio based at least somewhat heavily around food companies. After all, people buy clothes and spend money on entertainment and gadgets when times are good, but food is one of the few investments that is recession-proof. And for the most part, hedge funds agree that food companies are good to invest in, at least the ones that are great at what they do. The companies included in this list have the support of between 43 and 75 of the hedge funds in our database, which includes only 700 or so of the best hedge funds in the world. In addition, the combined value of hedge funds’ holdings in these companies amounts to $85.64 billion, so needless to say, they have high conviction in the success of these stocks.

At Insider Monkey, we track insider trading and hedge fund activity to uncover actionable patterns and profit from them. We track over 700 of the most successful hedge funds ever in our database and identify only their best stock picks. It doesn’t make sense to pay hedge funds exorbitant fees for their 73rd-best idea when you could instead invest in only their best ideas? Our flagship strategy has gained 44% since February 2016 and our stock picks released in the middle of February 2017 gained over 5 percentage points in the three months that followed. Our latest stock picks were released last month, which investors can gain access to by becoming a subscriber to Insider Monkey’s premium newsletters.

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Over the next few pages, we have analyzed the best food companies to invest in based on hedge fund sentiment. Insider Monkey has scoured companies to search for the food companies with the most significant hedge fund investments. The food companies in this list are ranked based on their popularity amongst the hedge fund community (the food stock with the most hedge funds owning it ranks #1 on our list). Hedge funds have the resources to spend on cutting-edge research and industry experts, and have connections to some of the top analysts in the world, allowing them to determine the best food companies to invest in 2017 better than an individual investor is realistically able to.

The 11 best food company stocks to buy now include Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ), Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC), McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), Mead Johnson Nutrition CO (NYSE:MJN), Molson Coors Brewing Co (NYSE:TAP), Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ), Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON), PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP), Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE:SYT), and The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO). Head to the next page to begin the countdown and see how they rank among hedge funds as of March 31.

Afterwards, if you want to add some impressive stocks with big potential to your portfolio, don’t miss Insider Monkey’s list of the 11 best growth company stocks to buy now.

11. Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE:SYT)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 43

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $1.44 billion

Syngenta AG (ADR) (NYSE:SYT) is a maker of agricultural seeds and pesticides, positioning it as a crucial part of the food market.

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10. Molson Coors Brewing Co (NYSE:TAP)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 45

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $1.88 billion

Molson Coors Brewing Co (NYSE:TAP) is the largest brewer in the U.S, owning beer brands such as Coors and Miller.

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9. The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 46

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $19.28 billion

The Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) is one of the biggest beverage companies in the world, with holdings in just about every non-alcoholic drink category in the market.

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8. PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 49

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $4.83 billion

PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP) is also one of the biggest beverage companies in the world, but it also has food holdings such as Quaker Oats and the Frito-Lay family of chips.

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7. Mead Johnson Nutrition CO (NYSE:MJN)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 50

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $2.73 billion

Mead Johnson Nutrition CO (NYSE:MJN) manufactures infant formula around the world. The company currently has a $16.7 billion acquisition offer on the table from British consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser.

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The next six companies on this list of the 11 best food company stocks to buy now are each backed by more than 50 hedge funds.

6. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 52

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $1.45 billion

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) has grown into a coffee shop empire across the globe, even if its baristas still can’t get your name right on your cup.

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5. Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 52

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $31.26 billion

Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) operates a food empire with a diverse portfolio spanning the contents of your cupboard.

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4. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 64

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $3.90 billion

McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) does one thing well: fast food. So well that it has operations in 120 countries.

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3. Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 64

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $5.88 million

Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ) has you covered for your snack cravings, with a wide portfolio of cookies, crackers, chocolates, and even juice powders.

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2. Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 67

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $8.17 billion

Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE:STZ) is one of the biggest beer, wine, and spirits peddlers in the world, with brands such as Corona, Canadian Whisky, and other alcoholic delights.

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1. Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON)

Number of Hedge Funds With Positions (as of March 31, 2017): 75

Aggregate Value of Hedge Funds’ Holdings (as of March 31, 2017): $4.83 billion

Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) has a stranglehold in the agribusiness, including 80% of the genetically modified corn market and 93% of the soy market in the U.S. The sheer amount of support it gets from hedge funds puts it on top of this list of the 11 best food company stocks to buy now.

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Disclosure: None