Poultry
Tenders and wings are tightening, while breasts and dark meat cuts are more stable. These fluctuations can cause inconsistent pricing across vendors. Make sure inventory and order data is reconciled against price changes and product substitutions in your back office system.
Beef
Labor strikes were avoided, but beef supply remains tight, pushing middle meats and end cuts higher. Expect continued pricing pressure, especially on strips and top butts. If beef is a core menu item, consider flagging these categories in your weekly cost reports and forecast models.
Pork
Pork prices dipped post-holiday, especially for butts, ribs, and bellies, though belly markets remain unstable. Loins are holding steady. Finance teams should track how price drops are reflected in invoice data and adjust recipe costing if long-term trends hold.
Seafood
As menus shift for summer, seafood SKUs like wild salmon, tuna, and lake fish are trending up in demand. If these proteins are part of your LTO strategy, update costing sheets accordingly and check your inventory turnover to avoid waste or overbuying.
Produce
Weather conditions are pushing up costs on leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and peppers. More stable categories include celery, cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions. Track these fluctuations in ingredient-level cost reports, especially if fresh produce makes up a large share of weekly spend. Avocados and lemons remain tight, and grapes are high, so budget forecasts should reflect expected price persistence.
Dairy
Eggs, cheese blocks, and butter are softening, offering short-term relief on breakfast and baking inputs. Cream remains abundant, providing flexibility in scratch-prepared items. Operators should review dairy cost centers and update GL coding where needed to reflect any shifts.
Grain
Soybean, palm, and canola oil prices dipped, but volatility remains. Fry-heavy concepts should closely monitor oil usage and variance, and consider flagging this category in weekly P&L reviews to catch unexpected spend.
