Its headquarters are in the COFCO Fortune Plaza (中粮福临门大厦) in Chaoyang District, Beijing.

Between 1952 and 1987, it was the sole agricultural products importer and exporter operating under direct control of the central government.

In 2007, COFCO had just over 60,000 employees in multiple locations in China as well as overseas operations in countries such as Japan, US, UK, Australia and Canada.

Besides the foodstuff business, COFCO has developed into a diversified conglomerate, involving planting, cultivation, food-processing, finance, warehouse, transportation, port facilities, hotels and real estate.

COFCO boasts a wide range of branded products and service portfolios, such as Fortune edible oil, Great Wall wine, Mengniu dairy, Lohas fruit and vegetable juice, Le Conte chocolate, Tunhe tomato products, Joycome meat products, Joy City shopping mall, Yalong Bay resorts, Gloria hotels, Snow-Lotus cashmere, Zhongcha tea products, COFCO-Aviva Life Insurance, COFCO Trust, etc.