Calculate edible portion cost, total cost, or AP/EP yield from AP price, quantity, and yield percentage in kg, lb, g, or oz for food costing.
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EP Cost Formula
Choose the value to calculate. The modes use the same yield relationship between as-purchased (AP) product and edible-portion (EP) product.
- AP cost per unit: price you pay for the raw product before trimming.
- EP cost per unit: true cost of the usable product after losses.
- Yield %: portion of the AP weight that ends up as edible product.
- EP quantity: usable weight needed for the recipe or service.
- AP quantity: raw weight you must purchase to hit the EP target.
Choose EP unit cost for usable-unit pricing, or a Total cost mode for an order using AP price and yield or a known EP price. Choose Yield percentage, EP quantity, or AP quantity needed to solve directly for that value. Quantities and prices are converted to a common weight basis.
Reference Tables
The yields below are illustrative planning examples, not validated yields for your item. Use a tested yield for the exact product, supplier and preparation, or matching USDA Food Buying Guide data. A yield above 100% indicates mass gain, such as water absorption, rather than trim loss.
| Item | Illustrative yield | Trim loss |
|---|---|---|
| Boneless trimmed beef | 90 to 95% | 5 to 10% |
| Potatoes, peeled | 78 to 85% | 15 to 22% |
| Carrots, peeled and trimmed | 70 to 80% | 20 to 30% |
| Whole chicken to cooked meat | 60 to 68% | 32 to 40% |
| Bone-in fish to fillet | 45 to 60% | 40 to 55% |
| Melon, peeled and seeded | 45 to 55% | 45 to 55% |
| Lettuce, cleaned | 70 to 75% | 25 to 30% |
| AP price | Yield | EP cost |
|---|---|---|
| $10/kg | 90% | $11.11/kg |
| $10/kg | 75% | $13.33/kg |
| $10/kg | 60% | $16.67/kg |
| $10/kg | 50% | $20.00/kg |
Worked Examples
Example 1: EP unit cost. You buy whole carrots at $2.40/kg. After peeling and trimming, your tested yield is 75%. The EP cost is $2.40 / 0.75 = $3.20/kg. That is what you should use when costing a recipe that calls for cleaned carrots.
Example 2: Total cost for a banquet. You need 20 kg of cleaned potato for service. Your supplier charges $1.80/kg AP and your yield is 80%. You must buy 20 / 0.80 = 25 kg AP. Total cost is 25 × $1.80 = $45.00. The EP unit cost is $2.25/kg.
FAQ
What counts as trim loss? Anything removed before the product is ready to portion or cook. Peels, bones, fat, skin, seeds, damaged sections, and water lost during cleaning all count.
Should I include cooking loss in the yield? Only if you are costing the cooked, plated portion. For raw recipes, use the trimmed-raw yield. For cooked applications like roasts, use a yield that includes shrinkage.
How do I get an accurate yield? Weigh the AP product, process it as you normally would, then weigh the usable portion. Divide EP weight by AP weight and multiply by 100. For several batches, divide total EP weight by total AP weight to obtain a weight-adjusted yield.
Why is my menu margin off even with the right AP price? Costing recipes at the AP price ignores trim loss. A 60% yield item costs roughly 67% more per usable kilogram than the sticker price. Always cost recipes using EP unit cost.
