A breakfast concept can be surprisingly profitable if you calculate the margins correctly. Granola, yogurt and fruit seem simple, but many entrepreneurs forget costs like cutting loss on fruit or expensive organic ingredients. In this article you'll learn step-by-step how to calculate the exact margin on your breakfast dishes.
What makes breakfast different in terms of cost price?
Breakfast dishes have a unique cost structure. You work with many fresh products that spoil quickly, different suppliers (baker, dairy, fruit) and often organic ingredients that are more expensive.
⚠️ Note:
Fruit often has 15-25% cutting loss from peels and pits. A kilo of apples at €3.00 actually costs you €3.75 per kilo of usable fruit.
Ingredients and their real costs
For a granola bowl you add up all ingredients, including hidden costs:
- Granola: often €8-12 per kilo (organic even more expensive)
- Greek yogurt: €4-6 per kilo
- Fresh fruit: €3-8 per kilo + cutting loss
- Toppings: nuts, seeds, honey (often forgotten!)
- Garnish: mint leaves, extra berries
💡 Example granola bowl:
Selling price: €12.50 incl. 9% VAT = €11.47 excl. VAT
- Granola (80g): €0.80
- Greek yogurt (120g): €0.60
- Mixed fruit (100g): €0.65
- Honey (15g): €0.25
- Nut mix (20g): €0.45
Total ingredient costs: €2.75
Food cost: (€2.75 / €11.47) × 100 = 24.0%
Include cutting loss and waste
Fruit is the biggest risk in breakfast. Bananas turn brown, berries mold quickly, and you have to throw away peels. Factor this into your cost price.
💡 Example cutting loss:
You buy apples for €3.00/kg. After peeling and removing the core you have 800g usable.
Real price: €3.00 / 0.80 = €3.75/kg usable fruit
So 50g of apple in your bowl costs €0.19 (not €0.15)
Typical margins for breakfast concepts
Breakfast can be very profitable because guests are willing to pay more for fresh and healthy. Common food cost percentages:
- Basic breakfast: 20-28% food cost
- Premium organic: 25-35% food cost
- Smoothie bowls: 22-30% food cost
- Toast concepts: 18-25% food cost
⚠️ Note:
Organic ingredients can make your food cost 5-10 percentage points higher. Factor this into your selling prices.
Seasons and price fluctuations
Fruit and dairy prices fluctuate significantly by season. Strawberries cost three times as much in January as in June. Build flexibility into your menu for this.
💡 Example seasonal strategy:
Winter: focus on apples, pears, nuts (cheaper)
Summer: berries, peaches, melons (in season)
Adjust your menu or calculate with average prices over the whole year.
Control portion sizes
With breakfast it's easy to give too generous portions. 120g yogurt quickly becomes 150g if you don't weigh it. That costs you 25% extra without you noticing.
How do you calculate the margin on breakfast? (step by step)
Gather all ingredients and exact purchase prices
Note the purchase price per kilo or unit for each ingredient. Don't forget toppings, sauces and garnish. Check prices with all your suppliers: baker, wholesaler, fresh market.
Calculate real cost price including cutting loss
Measure how much you throw away with fruit (peels, pits) and factor this in. If you get 800g usable from 1kg of apples, divide your purchase price by 0.80 for the real price per kilo.
Add up ingredient costs per portion and calculate food cost
Weigh each portion and calculate what it costs. Divide by your selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100 for your food cost percentage. Aim for 20-30% for breakfast.
✨ Pro tip
Check your food cost on your 3 best-selling breakfast dishes every month. Fruit and dairy prices change often, and a 2% difference can save hundreds of euros per month.
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 is a realistic margin on granola bowls?
A food cost of 22-28% is realistic for granola bowls. With organic ingredients this can go up to 30-35%. The rest of your selling price goes to staff, rent and profit.
Should I factor seasonal prices into my menu?
You can choose between fixed menu prices with average ingredient costs, or seasonal specials with changing prices. Many breakfast concepts work with fixed prices and adjust the ingredients.
How do I prevent too much waste with fresh fruit?
Buy fruit for a maximum of 3 days, rotate your stock (FIFO), and use ripe fruit for smoothies or compotes. Plan your purchases based on expected guests.
Why is my food cost higher than other restaurants?
Breakfast works with many fresh, organic ingredients that are more expensive. On the other hand, guests are willing to pay more for healthy breakfast than for a regular lunch.
Can I portion yogurt and granola in advance?
You can portion yogurt into cups a day in advance. Granola gets soft from moisture, so add this only when serving. Fruit is best cut fresh for the best taste.
📚 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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