Inventory turnover determines how much money you tie up in ingredients and how much you waste through spoilage. Meat, fish and dairy each have different shelf lives and turnover rates, so you need a different strategy for each product group. In this article you'll learn step-by-step how to calculate the ideal inventory turnover per product group.
Why inventory turnover per product group is different
Not all ingredients behave the same way in your inventory. Fresh fish must be used within 2-3 days, while cheese stays good for weeks. This means your inventory strategy must differ per product group.
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 80 covers per day:
- Fresh fish: order 2x per week (turnover 3.5 days)
- Meat: order 1x per week (turnover 7 days)
- Dairy: order 1x per 10 days (turnover 10 days)
Result: 40% less waste from spoilage
The inventory turnover formula
For each product group you use the same basic formula, but with different numbers:
Inventory turnover (days) = Average inventory / Daily consumption
Where:
- Average inventory = (Inventory start of week + Inventory end of week) / 2
- Daily consumption = Total consumption per week / 7 days
Meat: turnover 5-7 days
Meat keeps relatively well, but costs a lot of money per kilo. You don't want to tie up too much, but you also don't want to order every day.
💡 Example meat calculation:
Bistro with beef tenderloin:
- Inventory Monday: 8 kg
- Inventory Sunday: 2 kg
- Consumption whole week: 15 kg
Average inventory: (8 + 2) / 2 = 5 kg
Daily consumption: 15 / 7 = 2.1 kg
Turnover: 5 / 2.1 = 2.4 days
Ideal turnover for meat:
- Beef/pork: 5-7 days turnover
- Chicken: 3-4 days turnover (spoils faster)
- Lamb: 7-10 days turnover (more expensive, slower spoilage)
Fish: turnover 1-3 days
Fresh fish is the most critical product. Storing it too long means quality loss or complete waste.
⚠️ Note:
Fish that sits in your cooler for longer than 3 days loses flavor and texture. Your guests will notice this immediately.
💡 Example fish calculation:
Restaurant with salmon fillet:
- Order Tuesday: 6 kg
- Order Friday: 5 kg
- Consumption Tuesday-Friday: 8 kg
Average inventory: approximately 2-3 kg
Daily consumption: 8 / 3 = 2.7 kg
Turnover: 2.5 / 2.7 = 0.9 days (ideal!)
Aim for with fish:
- Fresh fish: 1-2 days turnover
- Frozen fish: 7-14 days turnover
- Shellfish: maximum 1 day turnover
Dairy: turnover 7-14 days
Dairy keeps the longest, but does take up a lot of cooler space. Here you can buy more efficiently.
💡 Example dairy calculation:
Brasserie with cream and cheese:
- Inventory start of month: 25 kg
- Inventory end of month: 15 kg
- Consumption whole month: 80 kg
Average inventory: (25 + 15) / 2 = 20 kg
Daily consumption: 80 / 30 = 2.7 kg
Turnover: 20 / 2.7 = 7.4 days
Guidelines for dairy:
- Milk/cream: 5-7 days turnover
- Soft cheeses: 10-14 days turnover
- Hard cheeses: 14-21 days turnover
- Butter: 14-21 days turnover
Practical check per product group
Check your turnover speed per product group every week. This helps you adjust your purchasing:
- Meat: Count your inventory Monday and Friday
- Fish: Count every day (or with each order)
- Dairy: Count start and end of week
⚠️ Note:
A turnover of less than 1 day means you're not buying enough. A turnover of more than 14 days means you're tying up too much in inventory.
The cost of wrong turnover
Every day your inventory sits longer than necessary, it costs you money:
💡 Example costs:
Restaurant with €5,000 inventory value:
- Turnover 14 days instead of 7 days
- Extra tied up: €2,500
- Interest costs (6% per year): €150/year
- Extra spoilage (2%): €100/year
Total extra costs: €250 per year
With an app like KitchenNmbrs you can track your inventory turnover per product group without counting manually. This way you immediately see which products are staying in your inventory too long.
How do you calculate inventory turnover per product group?
Measure your current inventory per product group
Count at the beginning and end of the week how much meat, fish and dairy you have in inventory. Write this down in kilos or units per product group.
Calculate your consumption per product group
Check how much you've used from each product group that week. You can determine this from your orders or from your POS system.
Apply the turnover formula per product group
Use the formula: Turnover = (Inventory start + Inventory end) / 2 / (Consumption / 7 days). Do this separately for meat, fish and dairy.
Compare with the ideal turnover per product group
Check if your turnover is correct: meat 5-7 days, fish 1-3 days, dairy 7-14 days. Adjust your purchasing if you deviate too much.
Adjust your ordering times per product group
Order fish more frequently (2-3x per week), meat 1-2x per week, and dairy 1x per week or less. This prevents waste and shortages.
✨ Pro tip
Check your fish inventory every Monday and order immediately. For meat and dairy you can do this weekly. This prevents expensive products from sitting too long.
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 inventory turnover is too high?
A turnover of more than 14 days means you're buying too much. Order smaller quantities more frequently. This saves money and prevents spoilage.
Can I use the same turnover for all products?
No, each product group has a different ideal turnover. Fish needs to turn over quickly (1-3 days), meat moderately (5-7 days) and dairy can last longer (7-14 days).
How often should I check my inventory turnover?
Check your turnover weekly for meat and dairy, and daily for fish. This way you can quickly adjust if you're buying too much or too little.
What if my supplier only delivers large quantities?
Find a supplier that can deliver smaller quantities, or split large orders with a fellow business owner. The extra delivery costs often don't outweigh less waste.
Should I account for seasons in inventory turnover?
Yes, during busy periods you turn over faster and can buy more. During quiet periods you order smaller quantities to prevent waste.
⚠️ 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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