{
    "name": "Ingredient Unit Cost Calculator",
    "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ingredient-unit-cost-calculator",
    "markdown": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/ingredient-unit-cost-calculator.md",
    "category": "Food & hospitality",
    "description": "Cost an ingredient per kg, litre or item as purchased and after trimming (yield), and the cost of the amount used in one portion.",
    "summary": "Divide the pack price by the pack size for the as-purchased (AP) cost, then divide by the usable yield to get the edible-portion (EP) cost that recipes should use.",
    "also_called": [
        "Yield cost calculator",
        "AP to EP cost calculator"
    ],
    "applies_to": "Worldwide",
    "last_updated": "2026-10-29",
    "computation": "Results are computed in the visitor’s browser on the HTML page. This API describes the calculator; it does not compute results.",
    "inputs": [
        {
            "name": "pack_price",
            "label": "Pack or case price",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "18"
        },
        {
            "name": "pack_size",
            "label": "Pack size",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "5"
        },
        {
            "name": "unit",
            "label": "Unit",
            "type": "select",
            "default": "kg",
            "options": {
                "kg": "Kilograms",
                "g": "Grams",
                "l": "Litres",
                "ml": "Millilitres",
                "lb": "Pounds",
                "oz": "Ounces",
                "each": "Items (each)"
            }
        },
        {
            "name": "yield_pct",
            "label": "Usable yield after trimming",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "80",
            "unit": "%"
        },
        {
            "name": "used",
            "label": "Usable quantity per portion",
            "type": "number",
            "default": "0.2"
        },
        {
            "name": "currency",
            "label": "Currency",
            "type": "currency",
            "default": "USD"
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "key": "recipe_cost",
            "label": "Cost per portion",
            "format": "currency"
        },
        {
            "key": "ap_unit_cost",
            "label": "As-purchased cost per unit",
            "format": "decimal4"
        },
        {
            "key": "ep_unit_cost",
            "label": "Usable (edible-portion) cost per unit",
            "format": "decimal4"
        },
        {
            "key": "portions",
            "label": "Portions per pack",
            "format": "number"
        }
    ],
    "formula": {
        "text": "AP cost = Pack price ÷ Pack size;  EP cost = AP cost ÷ (Yield% ÷ 100);  Portion cost = Quantity used × EP cost",
        "variables": {
            "AP": "as purchased",
            "EP": "edible portion, after trimming and prep loss",
            "Yield%": "usable share of what you buy"
        }
    },
    "worked_example": {
        "inputs": {
            "pack_price": "18",
            "pack_size": "5",
            "unit": "kg",
            "yield_pct": "80",
            "used": "0.2",
            "currency": "USD"
        },
        "steps": [
            "AP cost = 18 ÷ 5 kg = 3.60 per kg.",
            "EP cost = 3.60 ÷ 0.80 = 4.50 per usable kg.",
            "Portion = 0.2 kg × 4.50 = 0.90; the pack gives 5 × 0.8 ÷ 0.2 = 20 portions."
        ],
        "result": "At 80% yield, the ingredient really costs 4.50 per usable kg, so a 200 g portion costs 0.90."
    },
    "interpretation": "Costing recipes at the as-purchased price understates plate cost whenever there is trim. Use the per-portion cost in the menu price calculator, and re-test yields when you change supplier or product grade.",
    "assumptions": [
        "Trim has no resale or reuse value (if it goes into stock, the effective yield is higher)."
    ],
    "limitations": [
        "Cooking loss (shrinkage) is separate from trim yield; include it in the yield if the portion is weighed cooked."
    ],
    "rules": null,
    "faqs": [
        {
            "question": "How do I find the yield?",
            "answer": "Weigh a typical pack before and after preparation. Usable weight ÷ purchased weight × 100 is the yield percentage."
        }
    ],
    "sources": [],
    "related": [
        {
            "name": "Menu Price Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/restaurant-menu-selling-price-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Recipe Scaling Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/recipe-scaling-calculator"
        },
        {
            "name": "Kitchen Food Waste Calculator",
            "url": "https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/kitchen-food-waste-calculator"
        }
    ],
    "disclaimer": null,
    "publisher": "GM¹X CalcVerse"
}