Most restaurant owners think they know their food costs, but they're calculating them completely wrong. They base everything on purchase price per kilo and completely ignore what happens after processing. Trim loss quietly destroys profit margins while you think you're making money.
What exactly is trim loss?
Trim loss is the difference between what you purchase and what you ultimately put on the plate. Whole fish loses head, bones, and skin. Meat loses fat and sinews. Vegetables lose peels and outer leaves.
? Example:
You buy whole salmon for €18.00 per kilo. After filleting you have left:
- Purchase weight: 2.0 kg
- Fillet after processing: 1.1 kg
- Trim loss: 0.9 kg (45%)
Your actual fillet price: €32.73 per kilo!
The correct formula for actual cost price
Here's where most calculations fall apart. Trim loss makes your product more expensive, not cheaper. You've got less product for the same money spent.
Formula for actual cost price:
Actual price = Purchase price ÷ (Yield % ÷ 100)
Where: Yield % = 100% - Trim loss %
⚠️ Note:
NEVER multiply by the trim loss percentage. You divide by the yield. This mistake alone can destroy your margins.
Typical trim loss by product category
Use these percentages as starting points for your calculations:
- Fish (whole to fillet): 40-55%
- Beef (whole to portions): 15-25%
- Shrimp (unpeeled): 35-50%
- Vegetables (peels): 15-25%
- Fruit (peels, pits): 20-40%
? Beef calculation example:
Whole beef cut €24.00/kg, 20% trim loss:
- Yield: 100% - 20% = 80%
- Actual price: €24.00 ÷ 0.80 = €30.00/kg
- Extra cost per kilo: €6.00
At 200 gram portions, trim loss costs you €1.20 extra per plate.
Impact on your food cost percentage
From years of working in professional kitchens, I've seen restaurants go from profitable to losing money simply because they ignored trim loss. Your dish looks profitable on paper while bleeding cash in reality.
? Impact example:
Fish dish €28.00 (excl. VAT €25.69):
- Incorrectly calculated (€18/kg): food cost 28%
- Correctly calculated (€32.73/kg): food cost 38%
- Difference: 10 percentage points!
On an annual basis at 2000 portions: €5,140 difference
Practical tips for the kitchen
Measure your trim loss several times to determine your average. Record purchase weight and weight after processing. This gives you realistic cost visibility.
- Weigh products before and after processing
- Account for seasonal variations
- Regularly check if your supplier delivers consistently
- Train your team to handle trim loss consciously
Food cost calculators like KitchenNmbrs automatically account for trim loss in your cost calculations, so you always see actual costs.
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How do you calculate trim loss in your cost price? (step by step)
Measure your actual trim loss
Weigh the product before processing and after processing. Calculate the percentage: ((purchase weight - final weight) ÷ purchase weight) × 100. Do this a few times to determine your average.
Calculate your yield percentage
Subtract your trim loss from 100%. At 30% trim loss you have 70% yield. This is the percentage of product you can actually use.
Divide purchase price by yield
Divide your purchase price per kilo by the yield (as a decimal). At €20/kg and 70% yield: €20 ÷ 0.70 = €28.57/kg actual cost price. Use this amount in your recipe calculation.
✨ Pro tip
Weigh your 3 most expensive proteins before and after processing for 2 weeks straight. That's where trim loss hits your margins hardest, and most chefs underestimate it by 15-20%.
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
What if my trim loss varies every week?
How do I calculate trim loss for composite dishes?
Does trim loss differ by supplier?
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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
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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