Most restaurants think fresh orange juice pricing is just fruit cost divided by glasses served. That's wrong. You've got pressing yield, labor time, and hidden costs that'll eat your margins if you ignore them.
Gather all cost factors
Fresh orange juice isn't just about fruit. You need to track these cost components:
- Oranges: usually purchased per kilo
- Labor costs: time for pressing and serving
- Energy costs: electric press or hand press
- Packaging: glass, straw, napkin
Calculate the pressing yield
Every orange doesn't give you the same juice volume. Yield changes with season, origin, and how ripe they are.
💡 Example yield test:
Test with 1 kg of oranges (€2.50/kg):
- Purchased: 1,000 grams
- Pressed juice: 650 ml
- Yield: 65%
Real juice price: €2.50 / 0.65 = €3.85 per liter
⚠️ Note:
Yield shifts by season. Summer oranges typically produce less juice than winter ones. Test regularly.
Calculate labor costs per glass
Fresh juice demands time. Figure out exactly how much time each glass requires - it's the kind of thing you only learn after closing your first month at a loss:
- Pressing: 1-2 minutes per glass
- Serving: 30 seconds
- Cleaning press: split across total glasses made
💡 Labor cost calculation:
At €15/hour labor costs (including employer contributions):
- Time per glass: 2 minutes = 0.033 hours
- Labor costs: €15 × 0.033 = €0.50 per glass
Add up all costs
For the complete picture, combine every cost element. Don't skip anything.
💡 Complete cost price example (250ml glass):
- Juice (0.25L × €3.85): €0.96
- Labor: €0.50
- Glass + straw: €0.15
- Energy (estimated): €0.05
Total cost price: €1.66 per glass
Determine your selling price
With your cost price ready, you can set a profitable menu price. Most establishments target 25-35% food cost for fresh juice.
💡 Price calculation at 30% food cost:
Cost price €1.66, target food cost 30%:
- Minimum price excl. VAT: €1.66 / 0.30 = €5.53
- Price incl. 9% VAT: €5.53 × 1.09 = €6.03
- Rounded menu price: €6.50
How do you calculate the cost price of fresh orange juice? (step by step)
Test your pressing yield
Buy 1 kg of oranges and press them out. Measure how many ml of juice you get. This gives you the yield percentage for your cost price calculation.
Calculate actual juice price per liter
Divide your purchase price by the yield. At €2.50/kg and 65% yield: €2.50 / 0.65 = €3.85 per liter of juice.
Add up all cost items
Calculate juice, labor, packaging and energy together. For 250ml: juice costs + €0.50 labor + €0.15 packaging + €0.05 energy.
Determine selling price with desired margin
Divide cost price by desired food cost percentage. At €1.66 cost price and 30% food cost: €1.66 / 0.30 = €5.53 excl. VAT.
✨ Pro tip
Press 3-4 glasses worth at once during your morning prep and refrigerate the extra juice. You'll cut your labor cost per glass by 40% and maintain consistent quality throughout service.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How many oranges do I need for one glass?
For 250ml of juice you'll need roughly 400-500 grams of oranges, depending on season and quality. Test this yourself for precise numbers.
Should I include VAT in my cost price calculation?
No, always calculate using prices excluding VAT. Fresh juice in restaurants gets 9% VAT. Add this only to your final menu price.
What if my supplier raises orange prices?
Update your cost calculations right away. Orange prices swing dramatically by season. Check monthly whether your menu price still covers your purchase costs.
How often should I repeat my yield test?
Retest every 2-3 months, especially during season transitions. Summer oranges often yield 10-15% less juice than winter varieties.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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