Match the purchase unit to the recipe quantity
Record the supplier price, package quantity and amount charged to the recipe. Convert kilograms to grams or liters to milliliters before calculating. For example, an oil costing KRW 12,000 per 1,000 ml costs KRW 12 per ml. Using 100 ml charges KRW 1,200 to the batch.
Ingredient cost = purchase price ÷ purchased quantity × quantity used. All quantities in that calculation must use the same unit. Record whether your recipe weights refer to ingredients before or after trimming. For a recipe using prepared weights, divide the purchase price by the usable quantity to find the effective unit cost first. Charge each loss once.
A worked example: a tomato soup starter
These invented prices illustrate the arithmetic. They are not RecipeCat prices, current supplier prices or a manufacturing quotation. The quantities below are charged to the batch on the purchased basis, before any trimming.
| Ingredient | Purchase price / unit | Used | Batch cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes | 4,000 / 1,000 g | 1,500 g | 6,000 |
| Onions | 3,000 / 1,000 g | 400 g | 1,200 |
| Oil | 12,000 / 1,000 ml | 100 ml | 1,200 |
| Seasoning mix | 2,000 / 100 g | 20 g | 400 |
| Stock | 1,200 / 1,000 ml | 1,000 ml | 1,200 |
| Total ingredient cost | 10,000 | ||
Suppose the cooked, usable soup weighs 2,500 g and the intended serving is 250 g. That makes 10 full portions: KRW 10,000 ÷ 10 = KRW 1,000 ingredient cost per portion. Add bread, garnish or other components if they are part of the served dish.
Use the portions you can actually serve
Weigh the prepared food and define the portion before relying on a theoretical serving count. Trimming, evaporation and food left in equipment can change the result. In this example, observed finished yield already reflects preparation and cooking losses; do not apply the same loss again to the portion count.
If the same KRW 10,000 batch produces only eight full portions, ingredient cost rises to KRW 1,250 per portion. Track any remainder separately and keep portion sizes consistent when comparing recipe versions. Replace early yield assumptions with observations from cooking trials.
Compare menu prices without calling the difference profit
Ingredient-cost percentage = ingredient cost per portion ÷ menu selling price × 100. A KRW 1,000 ingredient cost against an assumed KRW 8,000 menu price is 12.5%, using those two figures on the same stated basis. This does not mean a profit margin of 87.5%.
Kitchen labor, rent, utilities, taxes, waste and sales-channel charges may sit outside the ingredient calculation. State whether prices include taxes and which costs are included. Use consistent assumptions when comparing dishes, then review the wider business costs separately.
Develop the menu, then choose whether to make a product
In RecipeCat, explore menu ideas, formulation and ingredient alternatives, and estimated costs. Review the inputs against your supplier prices and cooking results. You can use the app for chef menu development without preparing a food brand.
A plated menu and a packaged product have different cost scopes. For a product, add the intended packaging and production assumptions; see food product costing. If you want to commercialize your recipe, define the format and quantity for a prototype, small-batch or larger manufacturing quote request. Partners confirm feasibility, minimum quantities, prices and timing.
Common questions
How do I calculate ingredient cost per portion?
Convert each purchase price to the ingredient quantity used, add the costs for the recipe batch, then divide by the full portions you can serve. Include every component of the plated dish and state the portion size.
What changes when a recipe yields fewer portions?
The same batch cost is divided by fewer portions, so ingredient cost per portion increases. Use the observed cooked, usable yield and avoid counting the same preparation loss twice.
Is food-cost percentage the same as profit margin?
No. Ingredient-cost percentage compares ingredient cost with the stated selling price. Labor, overhead, taxes and other relevant costs are needed before assessing profit.
Can I use the menu recipe to prepare a packaged food product?
Yes. Define the product format, packaging, target quantity and sales channel, then prepare a manufacturing quote request. A partner reviews the development required and confirms the production terms; a menu ingredient estimate is not a manufacturing quotation.