Ceviche is raw fish without cooking – the citrus marinade 'cooks' the fish. This makes fresh fish the main cost, but don't overlook the marinade ingredients. Here's your step-by-step guide to calculating the complete food cost.
Ceviche food cost ingredients
Ceviche appears simple, but the food cost includes more components than just the fish. You'll need fresh fish, citrus fruits for the marinade, vegetables and herbs. Every single component matters for your bottom line.
💡 Example sea bass ceviche:
- Sea bass fillet: 120g at €32/kg = €3.84
- Lime juice: 40ml at €8/liter = €0.32
- Red onion: 20g at €2/kg = €0.04
- Cilantro: 5g at €20/kg = €0.10
- Chili pepper: 2g at €15/kg = €0.03
- Sea salt: 2g at €3/kg = €0.01
Total food cost: €4.34 per portion
Account for trimming loss with fresh fish
Whole fish costs less than fillet, but you'll face trimming loss. With sea bass you lose about 40% from head, bones and skin. This pushes your actual fish price higher than the purchase price.
⚠️ Attention:
Whole sea bass at €18/kg becomes €30/kg after filleting. Use €30, not €18 in your food cost.
The formula for actual fish price after trimming loss:
Actual price = Purchase price ÷ (Yield % ÷ 100)
With 40% trimming loss you have 60% yield. So: €18 ÷ 0.60 = €30/kg for the fillet.
Marinade and garnish costs
The citrus marinade is essential for ceviche and costs more than you'd expect. Fresh limes run €8-12 per liter of juice. And the vegetables and herbs add up quickly too.
💡 Marinade cost breakdown:
- 40ml lime juice: €0.32
- 20g red onion: €0.04
- 5g fresh cilantro: €0.10
- 2g chili pepper: €0.03
- Olive oil (5ml): €0.02
Marinade total: €0.51 per portion
Calculate food cost percentage
With the complete food cost you can calculate your food cost percentage. For ceviche this runs higher than cooked fish, because you need premium fresh quality.
Food cost % = (Cost of ingredients ÷ Selling price excl. VAT) × 100
💡 Food cost calculation:
Food cost: €4.34
Menu price: €18.50 incl. 9% VAT = €16.97 excl. VAT
Food cost: (€4.34 ÷ €16.97) × 100 = 25.6%
For ceviche, 25-32% food cost is standard. Higher than average due to premium fresh fish, but still profitable.
Season and fish prices
Fish prices fluctuate significantly by season and availability. After managing kitchen operations for nearly a decade, I've learned to check supplier prices weekly and adjust food cost calculations accordingly. What costs €28/kg in January can jump to €35/kg in July.
- Sea bass: cheaper in winter, more expensive in summer
- Tuna: seasonal fluctuations up to 40%
- Dorade: relatively stable year-round
- Salmon: farmed more stable than wild
Many restaurants use food cost tracking systems to monitor ingredient prices and automatically alert them if food costs get too high.
How do you calculate ceviche food cost? (step by step)
Determine fish costs per portion
Weigh your fish portion (usually 100-150g) and multiply by the kilogram price. With whole fish: use the actual price after trimming loss, not the purchase price.
Calculate all marinade ingredients
Add up: lime/lemon juice, onion, cilantro, pepper, oil, salt. Weigh and measure everything precisely - even small amounts of premium herbs add up.
Add everything up and check your food cost
Sum all ingredient costs and divide by your selling price excl. VAT. For ceviche, 25-32% food cost is normal due to fresh premium fish.
✨ Pro tip
Track your lime juice yield – you'll extract roughly 30ml per medium lime, but this drops 15-20% after 3 days of storage. Calculate based on fresh extraction rates to avoid undercosting your ceviche portions.
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
Why is ceviche food cost higher than cooked fish?
You need sashimi-grade fish which is more expensive than fish for cooking. Fresh citrus and herbs also cost more than standard garnishes. The premium quality requirements drive up the overall food cost percentage.
How do I calculate trimming loss with whole fish?
Divide the purchase price by the yield percentage. With 40% trimming loss you have 60% yield: €18/kg ÷ 0.60 = €30/kg actual price.
Should I include VAT in my ceviche food cost?
No, always calculate with the selling price excluding VAT. Your menu price of €18.50 becomes €16.97 excl. 9% VAT for the food cost calculation.
⚠️ EU Regulation 1169/2011 — Allergen Information — https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj
The allergen information on this page is based on EU Regulation 1169/2011. Recipes and ingredients may vary by supplier. Always verify current allergen information with your supplier and communicate this correctly to your guests. KitchenNmbrs is not liable for allergic reactions.
In the UK, the FSA enforces allergen regulations under the Food Information Regulations 2014.
📚 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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