Poultry
Boneless chicken breasts finally moved higher after two months of declines. Wings are still climbing—up 25% month-over-month. Thigh prices dipped slightly, while retail promos for chicken jumped nearly 11% in a week.
Outlook: Expect steady white meat demand to keep prices mostly flat in the short term. With tariffs possibly hitting exports, now’s a good time to monitor poultry spend and update your menu pricing or portions if needed.
Beef
Beef prices dropped again, especially for loins, grinds, and trim. Ribeye cuts held strong, but the overall beef cutout has lost more than $30/cwt in the past month.
Outlook: Pricing pressure is expected to continue on most cuts. Rib and end cuts may see slight bumps. Use this window to rebalance your protein mix and make sure your recipe costs reflect the current market.
Pork
Pork cutout values dropped 5% last week, with declines across loins, ribs, and bellies. Tenderloins and hams posted minor increases. Trim prices were mostly unchanged.
Outlook: With lean hog prices expected to keep falling, pork could become a more cost-effective protein option heading into fall. Now’s a good time to compare market prices to your invoice data and flag any discrepancies.
Seafood
Salmon prices continue to drop and are now below the five-year average. The sharp decline from earlier this year appears to be leveling off.
Outlook: Expect slower declines through the fall. Great time to work salmon into specials or prepped items while it’s still below seasonal norms—just make sure your costing sheets are up to date.
Produce
Iceberg lettuce prices crashed—down 37% week-over-week—while potatoes stayed flat. Avocados are trending down with no supply concerns at the moment.
Outlook: Produce pricing should stay stable for now. Q4 seasonal increases are coming, especially for lettuce and avocados. Lock in pricing where possible and make adjustments to prep sheets if yield or cost shifts are significant.
Dairy
Cheese prices rose slightly, while butter held steady. Milk output is lighter in some regions due to summer heat, but cheese production is still meeting demand.
Outlook: No major swings expected. If your food cost is dairy-heavy, keep an eye on regional fluctuations and make sure your inventory and invoice data are aligned.
Grains
Grain prices dropped again. Soybean oil fell despite stronger biofuel demand, pulled down by weaker soybean pricing overall.
Outlook: Lower grain prices could ease pressure on oil-based items and animal feed costs, which impacts protein pricing. Use this opportunity to check if your suppliers have adjusted pricing accordingly.
