Yield Percentage
Yield percentage is the ratio of the usable (edible) portion of an ingredient to the total amount purchased, expressed as a percentage. It quantifies how much raw product is lost to trimming, peeling, deboning, or cooking shrinkage.
Try Cucinovo freeYield percentage is the ratio of the usable (edible) portion of an ingredient to the total amount purchased, expressed as a percentage. It quantifies how much raw product is lost to trimming, peeling, deboning, or cooking shrinkage.
Understanding Yield Percentage
Not every gram of a purchased ingredient ends up on the plate. A whole chicken includes bones, skin, and fat that may be discarded. Carrots lose weight to peeling and trimming. Herbs shed stems. Yield percentage captures this reality with a single number: the fraction of the as-purchased (AP) weight that becomes the edible portion (EP).
An ingredient with a 75% yield percentage means that 25% of its purchased weight is waste. This figure directly affects cost calculations: if a recipe calls for 1 kg of carrot batonnet (EP weight), and carrots have an 80% yield, the kitchen must purchase 1.25 kg (AP weight) to produce the required amount.
Yield percentages vary by ingredient, supplier, and preparation method. Pre-cut vegetables have near-100% yield but a higher unit price. Whole fish may yield as low as 35–45% for boneless fillets. Professional kitchens conduct yield tests — weighing ingredients before and after processing — to establish accurate yield percentages specific to their operation.
Formula
Yield Percentage
To find purchase quantity: As-Purchased Weight = Edible Portion Weight ÷ (Yield Percentage ÷ 100)
Example: Whole Salmon Filleting
A restaurant purchases 10 kg of whole salmon at €18/kg (total: €180). After filleting, pin-boning, and skinning, 6.5 kg of usable fillet remains.
Yield percentage = (6.5 ÷ 10) × 100 = 65%. The true cost per kilogram of usable salmon fillet is €180 ÷ 6.5 = €27.69/kg — significantly higher than the €18/kg purchase price.
Why Yield Percentage Matters
Yield percentage is the bridge between what you buy and what you cook. Without it, food cost calculations understate the true cost of ingredients, leading to underpriced menu items and eroded margins.
Accurate yield data also improves purchasing: instead of guessing how much to order, a kitchen can calculate exact AP quantities from a recipe's EP requirements. This reduces both over-ordering (waste) and under-ordering (stockouts during service).
Waste & Loss Tracking
Cucinovo lets you set a waste percentage on every ingredient within a recipe. The cost calculation automatically accounts for preparation losses, showing the true cost per portion.
Learn moreRelated Terms
Food Cost Percentage
Food cost percentage is the ratio of a dish's total ingredient cost to its menu selling price, expressed as a percentage. It is the primary metric restaurants use to measure recipe profitability and set menu prices.
Recipe Standardization
Recipe standardization is the process of documenting a recipe with precise ingredient quantities, preparation methods, cooking times, and expected yields so that it produces a consistent result every time, regardless of who prepares it. It is the foundation of quality control and cost management in food service operations.
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