Calculating yield percentages is like solving a culinary puzzle where the missing pieces cost you money. You buy a whole salmon but only use the fillet, losing 40-50% to the head, bones and skin. This yield percentage determines your actual cost price per kilo of usable product.
What is a yield percentage?
The yield percentage (also called yield or recovery rate) is the percentage of your purchase weight that you can actually use in your dishes. It's the opposite of trim loss.
Formula: Yield percentage = (Usable weight / Purchase weight) × 100
💡 Example:
You buy 2 kg whole salmon for €18/kg:
- Purchase weight: 2 kg
- After filleting: 1.1 kg fillet
- Waste: 0.9 kg (head, bones, skin)
Yield percentage: (1.1 / 2.0) × 100 = 55%
Why this determines your real cost price
Your yield percentage reveals your actual cost per kilo of usable product. Restaurant owners often miscalculate by using purchase price instead of the true cost after processing.
Actual cost price = Purchase price / (Yield percentage / 100)
💡 Example:
Salmon at €18/kg with 55% yield:
- Purchase price: €18/kg
- Yield percentage: 55%
- Actual fillet price: €18 / 0.55 = €32.73/kg
So you're paying €32.73 per kilo of fillet, not €18!
⚠️ Note:
Never calculate with your purchase price if you have trim loss. You have less product, so it becomes more expensive per kilo. Always divide by your yield percentage.
Common yield percentages by ingredient
Each ingredient has different yield rates. Here are typical figures based on real restaurant P&L data:
- Fish (whole to fillet): 45-60%
- Beef (whole to portions): 75-85%
- Chicken (whole to fillet): 65-75%
- Shrimp (unpeeled): 50-65%
- Vegetables (with skins): 75-85%
- Potatoes: 80-90%
- Onions: 88-92%
💡 Example calculation:
Steak recipe for 4 people:
- Purchase: 1 kg whole steak at €28/kg
- Yield percentage: 80% (trimming fat/sinew)
- Actual price: €28 / 0.80 = €35/kg
- Per person: 200g = €7.00 per portion
Without yield percentage you'd calculate €5.60 - €1.40 too little!
How to measure your yield percentage
Test this multiple times for each ingredient you process. Variations between suppliers and seasons happen, but you'll establish a reliable average.
- Weigh the product upon arrival
- Process it using your standard method
- Weigh the usable portion
- Calculate the percentage
- Repeat 3-5 times for accuracy
⚠️ Note:
Yield percentages fluctuate by season and supplier. Update your figures twice yearly, or when switching suppliers.
Impact on your cost calculations
Wrong yield percentages can seriously distort your cost price. If you use 75% instead of the actual 65%, you're undercalculating that ingredient by 13%.
💡 Impact example:
Salmon dish you sell 50x per week:
- Estimated yield: 60% → €30/kg fillet price
- Actual yield: 50% → €36/kg fillet price
- Difference per 200g portion: €1.20
- Per week: 50 × €1.20 = €60
- Per year: €3,120 undercalculated
Food cost calculators can record yield percentages per ingredient, ensuring your cost prices calculate accurately every time.
How do you calculate a yield percentage? (step by step)
Weigh your product upon arrival
Note the exact weight of the product as you purchase it. For fish: including head and bones. For meat: including fat and sinew that you'll trim off.
Process the product normally
Cut, fillet or trim the product the way you normally do. Use your standard techniques and standards, so the yield percentage is realistic.
Weigh the usable part
Weigh only what you actually use in your dishes. The waste (bones, skin, peels) doesn't count toward the yield percentage.
Calculate the percentage
Divide the usable weight by the purchase weight and multiply by 100. For example: 1.1 kg usable from 2 kg purchase = 55% yield.
Repeat for reliability
Measure this 3-5 times spread over a few weeks. Take the average as your standard yield percentage for cost price calculations.
✨ Pro tip
Track yield percentages for your top 10 ingredients over 3 months to establish seasonal patterns. You'll spot which suppliers consistently deliver better yields and adjust your purchasing accordingly.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between yield percentage and trim loss?
Yield percentage is what you keep, trim loss is what you discard. They're opposites: 60% yield equals 40% trim loss. For cost price calculation you always divide by the yield percentage.
Do I need to measure yield percentage for every single ingredient?
Only for ingredients you process with waste. Products you use completely like flour, oil, and spices have 100% yield. Focus on fish, meat and vegetables that require peeling or trimming.
Can different cuts from the same fish have varying yield percentages?
Absolutely. A whole salmon might yield 55% for fillets, but 45% if you're cutting steaks due to additional trimming. Your preparation method directly affects the final yield percentage.
📚 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.
Standardize portions, stabilize margins
Varying portions mean varying costs. KitchenNmbrs records exact quantities per recipe so every plate costs the same. Try it free for 14 days.
Start free trial →