Rising food costs are quietly eating away at your profit margins, even though you swear you're ordering the same quantities. Suppliers slip in price hikes without fanfare, shrink package sizes, and add mysterious surcharges. These stealth increases compound monthly, turning what should be predictable food costs into a moving target.
Hidden price increases you're missing
Suppliers bump their prices regularly, but they don't exactly shout about it. You might get a brief email buried in your inbox or a tiny notice on an invoice.
💡 Example:
Last year you paid €12/kg for beef. Your supplier raised it to €13.20/kg in March (+10%).
- At 50kg per month: €600 extra per year
- At 100 beef steaks: €1.20 extra cost per portion
Impact: €7,200 extra per year without buying more
Packaging sizes that change
Here's a sneaky one: suppliers downsize packaging while keeping prices identical. Same box, same label design, but less product inside.
💡 Example:
Cream cheese went from 2kg to 1.8kg packaging, same price:
- Old price: €8.00 for 2kg = €4.00/kg
- New price: €8.00 for 1.8kg = €4.44/kg
Hidden increase: 11% more expensive per kilo
Seasonal price variations
Ingredient costs swing dramatically with seasons. Winter tomatoes cost a fortune, while summer brings premium pricing on BBQ cuts.
- Vegetables: 20-40% more expensive out of season
- Fish: Prices vary by season and catch
- Meat: BBQ season makes certain cuts more expensive
⚠️ Watch out:
Many entrepreneurs forget to adjust their menu prices for seasonal variations, causing their food cost to rise unnoticed.
Automatic surcharges that get added
From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, fuel surcharges and administrative fees pop up constantly. They look insignificant per line item but add up fast.
💡 Example:
New surcharges on your weekly order of €800:
- Fuel surcharge: 2.5% = €20
- Administrative costs: €5
- Environmental fee: 1% = €8
Extra per week: €33 = €1,716 per year
How to prevent this
You need a systematic approach to track purchase prices and respond quickly to changes.
- Check monthly: Compare invoices with the previous month
- Recalculate food cost: With every price change
- Adjust menu: If your food cost goes above 35%
- Find alternatives: For products that become too expensive
A food cost calculator like KitchenNmbrs shows you immediately when your food cost rises due to changed purchase prices, so you can adjust quickly.
How do you check where the extra costs are coming from?
Compare invoices from the previous month
Place your latest invoice next to the same week from last month. Check not only the total amount, but also the prices per product and any new surcharges.
Check packaging sizes
Check if the packaging still has the same weight. Watch out for products that look the same but have less content for the same price.
Calculate impact on food cost
Take your 5 best-selling dishes and recalculate the food cost with the new purchase prices. If you go above 35%, you need to take action.
✨ Pro tip
Track the per-kilo cost of your 5 highest-volume ingredients every 2 weeks. Even a €0.50/kg increase on your main protein can cost you hundreds monthly.
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
How often do suppliers raise their prices?
Most suppliers adjust their prices 2-4 times per year. Meat and fish can vary monthly, vegetables even weekly due to seasons and weather conditions.
Do I need to adjust my menu every time prices go up?
Not with every small increase, but when your food cost consistently goes above 35%. Check your best-selling dishes monthly and adjust where needed.
Can I negotiate price increases?
Sometimes with larger orders. Ask for alternatives or look at seasonal products. Small suppliers are often more flexible than large foodservice companies.
Why don't I always notice price increases in time?
Suppliers often communicate this via email or small notes that get lost among other mail. Some raise prices silently and hope you don't notice.
How do I prevent this from eating into my profit?
Check your food cost on your top dishes monthly. Adjust menu prices if food cost rises above 35%. Better small, regular adjustments than one big shock.
Should I switch suppliers if prices keep rising?
Not immediately - price increases often hit the entire market simultaneously. Compare total costs including delivery fees and service quality, not just unit prices.
📚 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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