Most restaurant owners assume salmon bowls generate higher profits than vegan alternatives. The reality? Plant-based proteins typically deliver better margins than premium raw fish. Your vegan poke bowl likely outperforms salmon by €3-4 per serving.
Ingredient costs per bowl type
The protein makes or breaks your margin. Raw salmon runs €40+ per kilo while tofu sits around €10 per kilo.
💡 Example salmon poke bowl:
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Salmon fillet (120g): €4.80
- Rice (80g): €0.32
- Avocado (60g): €0.90
- Cucumber (50g): €0.25
- Edamame (40g): €0.60
- Soy sauce, sesame oil, garnish: €0.45
Total ingredient costs: €7.32
🌱 Example vegan poke bowl:
Ingredients for 1 serving:
- Marinated tofu (120g): €1.20
- Rice (80g): €0.32
- Avocado (60g): €0.90
- Cucumber (50g): €0.25
- Edamame (40g): €0.60
- Soy sauce, sesame oil, garnish: €0.45
Total ingredient costs: €3.72
Margin calculation per variant
Same selling price, vastly different margins. And this represents one of the most common blind spots in kitchen management - assuming premium ingredients automatically mean premium profits.
📊 Margin comparison at €16.50 selling price:
Selling price excl. VAT: €16.50 / 1.09 = €15.14
Salmon bowl:
- Food cost: (€7.32 / €15.14) × 100 = 48.3%
- Margin: €15.14 - €7.32 = €7.82
Vegan bowl:
- Food cost: (€3.72 / €15.14) × 100 = 24.6%
- Margin: €15.14 - €3.72 = €11.42
Difference per bowl: €3.60 more margin on vegan
⚠️ Note:
A food cost of 48% on the salmon bowl exceeds industry standards. Most restaurants target under 35%. You'll need to adjust pricing or portions.
Strategic considerations
Higher margins don't guarantee higher profits. Volume matters just as much as margin per unit.
- Customer preference: Salmon typically outsells vegan options 3:1
- Inventory turnover: Fresh fish moves faster but spoils quicker
- Storage costs: Raw salmon requires more expensive cold storage
- Price volatility: Fish prices swing 20-30% seasonally vs stable tofu costs
💰 Impact on annual basis:
At 50 bowls per week, 50 weeks per year:
- If 30% choose vegan: 750 vegan bowls
- Extra margin: 750 × €3.60 = €2,700 per year
- That's €225 extra per month
Pricing strategy adjustments
Use these margin insights to optimize your menu pricing. Different costs justify different prices.
- Salmon bowl: Price at €18.50 to achieve 35% food cost
- Vegan bowl: Maintain €16.50 for competitive positioning
- Menu placement: Feature vegan options prominently to boost sales mix
⚠️ Note:
Track ingredient prices weekly for fish, monthly for plant proteins. Salmon costs can jump 25% overnight during supply shortages.
How do you calculate the margin per bowl variant?
Gather all ingredient costs
Write down the exact quantity and price of each ingredient per serving. Don't forget garnishes, sauces, and oil. Convert everything to costs per gram or milliliter.
Calculate the selling price excl. VAT
Divide your menu price by 1.09 to get the price excluding 9% VAT. Use this price for all margin calculations.
Compare food cost percentages
Divide ingredient costs by selling price excl. VAT and multiply by 100. Keep both variants under 35% food cost for healthy margins.
✨ Pro tip
Track your daily sales mix for 2 weeks to see actual vegan vs salmon ratios. If vegan orders jump above 40%, you're looking at an extra €1,400 annual profit per percentage point increase.
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 do plant proteins cost less than fresh fish?
Tofu and tempeh require less processing and storage than fresh salmon. Plus, there's no waste from bones or skin with plant proteins.
Should I price salmon bowls higher than vegan ones?
Yes, different costs justify different prices. Price salmon at €18.50 and vegan at €16.50 to maintain healthy margins on both.
How often should I recalculate these margins?
Check fish costs weekly due to market volatility. Plant protein costs stay stable for months unless suppliers change pricing.
What if my salmon food cost hits 50%?
That's unsustainable long-term. Either raise your price to €19+ or reduce the salmon portion to 100g instead of 120g.
Can I substitute cheaper salmon varieties?
Don't compromise on sashimi-grade fish for raw preparations. Food safety trumps margin concerns with raw fish dishes.
How do I encourage more vegan bowl orders?
Position them as chef specials or daily features. Staff should mention the vegan option first during order-taking.
What's the break-even point for salmon bowls?
At current costs, you'd need to sell salmon bowls for €19.50+ to match the vegan bowl's 24.6% food cost 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.
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