September 16, 2025 Market Report

Alerts & What’s Trending

InsideTrack Puts Every Dollar of Your Spend Into Focus

10 Data Points Every Foodservice Operator Should Be Tracking

Complete Visibility Drives Smarter Foodservice Strategy

 

Produce

Leafy greens remain stable from Salinas, though weather remains a watchpoint. Tomatoes are regionally variable, with smaller grape and cherry varieties tighter. Potatoes and onions are steady as new-crop supply builds. Avocados are adequate with sizing challenges, while berries are inconsistent across districts. With InsideTrack, operators can monitor supplier substitution rates and analyze cost-per-case changes to identify the true impact of variability on their produce spend.

Outlook: Leafy greens may firm if heat pressures yields, while tomatoes and berries are likely to remain unstable. Operators using data transparency can validate substitutions and adjust forecasting at the unit level to protect margins.

Grain

Grain and flour markets are holding steady, supported by harvest pressure. Logistics and freight remain the main variables impacting delivered costs. InsideTrack reporting allows operators to isolate regional freight surcharges and verify that pricing aligns with contract terms.

Outlook: Pricing should remain mostly sideways in the short term. Operators with visibility into regional cost variance can make more informed decisions about supplier mix and distribution lanes.

Dairy

Cheese is steady, while butter is beginning to firm with seasonal holiday demand. Milk supplies are consistent. InsideTrack enables operators to confirm contract pricing compliance across suppliers and track usage trends for high-volume categories like mozzarella and shredded cheese.

Outlook: Cheese should remain stable near term, while butter is expected to strengthen into Q4. Operators leveraging InsideTrack data can project cost increases by location and adjust menu pricing strategies accordingly.

Beef

Beef markets are adjusting post-summer with middle meats cooling and value cuts like chucks, rounds, and grinds gaining traction. Retail promotions continue to support grind pricing. InsideTrack clients are analyzing location-level purchasing patterns to determine where grind usage is driving margin erosion versus where value cuts can be leveraged to balance menu mix.

Outlook: Slight softening is expected in chucks and rounds, while grinds may remain supported by retail activity. Operators using data-driven insights can lock in coverage on braise-friendly cuts and run scenario analysis on grind costs to protect Q4 profitability.

Pork

Pork is mixed, with bacon markets highly volatile due to belly swings. Loins and ribs are presenting strong value relative to beef, while hams remain stable on deli demand. InsideTrack’s price verification and contract management tools ensure operators capture credits on overcharges in volatile categories like bacon.

Outlook: Continued volatility on bellies is expected, while loins and ribs should remain favorable. Operators can leverage InsideTrack analytics to track bacon cost trends and implement substitution strategies in real time when price thresholds are exceeded.

Seafood

Seafood supply remains steady. Whitefish and value-added fillets are consistent, and shrimp markets are balanced overall with size-specific premiums. InsideTrack reporting highlights the benefit of portion-controlled seafood programs, which minimize waste and reduce labor while maintaining consistency across units.

Outlook: Stability is expected, but premiums may persist for preferred shrimp sizes. Operators using InsideTrack can model alternate spec costs across suppliers to secure the best landed price for each location.

Poultry

Poultry markets remain stable, but wings continue to carry premiums as sports season drives demand. Breast and tender markets are balanced, while dark meat is the most cost-efficient option. Multi-unit operators leveraging InsideTrack are monitoring real-time pricing across suppliers to optimize contract utilization and identify savings opportunities in secondary cuts.

Outlook: Expect firmness on wings into October, with stability across other categories. Visibility into supplier-level data allows operators to shift volume toward dark meat programs, protecting profitability across multiple locations.