Pub chefs urged to raise food prices on menus to offset inflation

The warning from Lynx Purchasing MD John Pinder comes as rising oil prices and poor harvests worldwide begin to impact.

The company’s market forecast states that while beef and lamb prices are looking stable, pork and poultry are set to rise by around 10% each in the next four months due in part to increases in feeding costs as a result of poor grain harvests. However, turkey will be cheaper than last year’s record Christmas prices.

Autumn prices of sea bass and bream will not ease, due to low stock; scampi and cold water prawns prices will remain tight following a reduction in allowed quotas; salmon prices will rise towards the end of the year; but crayfish and mackerel will remain affordable and in good supply.

Fruit and vegetables have been affected by heavy rain earlier this year, with brassicas in short supply, carrot and parsnip yields down 15% and potatoes staying small.

Meanwhile, staple foods such as milk, bread and vegetable oil will also be pushed up by poor crop yields and tea prices are 40% higher than at the start of the year.

“It’s important that pubs get menu costings right now and try to lock in prices with suppliers rather than wait until food costs start to rise and see their margins disappear,” said Pinder. “Most pubs have already published their prices for Christmas menus and won’t be able to push through increases in the New Year when it’s already hard enough to attract customers.”

Lynx Purchasing has produced a GP calculator chart to help its customers work out menu prices.