Companies in the European food and drink sector are increasingly hiring new employees, a report claims.

According to FoodDrinkEurope, the labor market for such roles accounts for 13.5 per cent of the European Union (EU) manufacturing jobs total, with a workforce of around 4.2 million.

Website Food&DrinkEurope.com reports that growing demand for skills is pushing up recruitment activity, with an ageing population of senior managers in the industry.

The news source suggests the current jobs market in the sector is "extremely buoyant", with companies continuing to invest in research and development despite the economic downturn of recent years.

President of the Institute of Food Science and Technology Professor Colin Dennis has forecast significant growth in employment during the next decade, driven by health and wellbeing, sustainability and food safety.

Figures from Eurostat have indicated the EU labor market is starting to show signs of recovery following the downturn, with joblessness in the region remaining stable at 9.3 per cent between April and May 2011.

Posted by Alex Donnell